Satsukibare: In Memory of the Chrysanthemum
by Nefertili
Summary: Her life having been saved from a critical moment by Sesshoumaru, Kikyou joins him in an alliance against Naraku, whose current ally happens to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SessKik and SessOC, also InuKag and MirSan
1. The Lady in the Shadow

**Prologue: The Lady in the Shadow**

**Author:** Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** This is my first time with this fandom, so please help me improve! I just came across this idea after listening to the ending theme 'Fukai Mori', featuring Sesshoumaru. I know some of you guys hate Kikyou, and if you do, hit the back button now, as I don't want flamers. FYI, I took a break from slash and LOTR for the time being...

...o0o...

Mist drifted in and out of the dark bands of night. In the distance, a fearsome castle loomed into view, its dark aura killing all plant and animal life in the soil within its parameter. Darkness enveloped the gloomy domain, for the smoky shield of the castle blotted out the light of the stars and moon. Within this place, at its very heart, sat a slender figure robed in black and dark purple, his long raven hair pulled back from its face of evil.

He was not alone, for within the shadows in one of the corners of the barely lit room wafted the haunting tunes of the plucking of koto strings. Pale, long-fingered hands skillfully manipulated the instrument at her will, and her face was hidden within the darkness of her fawn-colored hair. After the long fingers finished the last measures of the sad melody, the other figure stirred and flexed his hand that had been grasping a jewel that had a huge chunk missing from its glassy surface.

"I sense rebellion in you, my lovely associate," Naraku whispered in a monotonous tone as he idly rolled the large shard of the Shikon no Tama in his hand.

"And right you are," the figure in the shadows answered. Her hands left the koto strings and withdrew within the folds of her kimono. "I can sense his presence, his power, stronger than before. My ears can hear every breath he expels and takes in. I cannot sit here in peace knowing that he still lives, that his aura still abides. I wish to forever end his existence and any reminder of his filthy deeds."

The fingers which had been playing with the jewel temporarily stopped. An evil laughter rang about the room. "My dear, you are being too sentimental. However, you amuse me greatly if you express your anger and dark desires. Well then, worry not, for the time is near..."

The hands of the shadowed woman clenched on her lap. "The time is near, eh? I hear that from your mouth a hundred times a day. How can I guarantee that?"

Laughter once more reverberated around the room as Naraku resumed fiddling with the Shikon shard. "Patience is a virtue, they say. But you or I shall wait no longer." His evil eyes flashed with malice as his fist closed around the part of the Shikon jewel that he possessed. "I have felt her reawakened aura. She has resurrected."

"Her," the woman whispered, getting the half-demon's message. "The priestess whom you killed fifty years ago..."

Naraku gave a low grunt as his hand tightened its hold around the jewel, as though attempting to crush it. He was clearly troubled by the mere memory of the miko, the original guardian of the Jewel of the Four Souls. The part of that burned thief was still in him, and he burned with desire for the priestess as much as he hated her.

"Indeed, and it is only right that we set our wheels in motion..."

"I have waited for hundreds of years. I have lived with this hatred for that one person even longer before you or Onigumo were conceived! I can wait no longer, Naraku. Within your halls, my powers are in dormancy, but now they have awakened again, and I wish to be of full use of them."

"Yes, yes, you've made your point perfectly clear. Well then, set out, flex your powers and revive your demon energy! But don't attempt to go ahead of our planned steps, my dear, or you shall pay dearly." Naraku smiled a twisted smile that spoke of a threat. The lady in the corner was unperturbed and unmoved by his menacing gesture, however.

"The sleep in peace, for I am one who sticks to her own business," she replied in an equally threatening voice. "I am not like the one whose blood I so long to spill." Pausing for a time, her lips also curved up in a malicious grin. "And forget not that I am more powerful than you think."

Naraku chuckled in amusement.

"You do have a fine way of expressing humor," he replied. His face then became devoid of all emotions as he said, "Then waste not your time, and keep your ears open for the interesting whereabouts of our victims."

The woman then stood up, and where the koto once was, an empty space lingered. Instead, in her hand, she held a _naginata_, a spear-like blade that flashed in the flickering light. "Then I shall be on my way."

As she turned around and walked towards the door, Naraku said, "In time, we shall have our revenge. You with your demon friend out there and me with the miko who only knows hate."

The woman was almost at the door when she stopped to reply as she wrapped her ochre-colored shawl more securely about her, "I care nothing about your miko, Naraku. I have nothing to do with her, but I have agreed to entangle myself in her affairs because of our truce. Make sure you don't disappoint me, Naraku."

As the final whisper of her silk robes left the chamber, Naraku smiled his demonic smile to himself and gazed at the half-done jewel in his palm.

"Rather, my dear, you shouldn't disappoint me," he said to himself as his evil aura enveloped him, shielding him from all eyes as he carried on his malevolent planning.

...o0o...

Er, how was that? I cannot get the Naraku-playing-with-the-Shikon-jewel image out of my mind. Please, please, review and help keep my spirits up!


	2. A Rescue from the Red Shinidamachuu

**Chapter One: A Rescue from the Red Shinidamachuu**

**Author:** Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Drumroll Finally, in enters our wonderful couple! And also perhaps some spoilers about what happened in Episode 47 (I altered it to my satisfaction, hehe). Once more, I am reminding you guys that this story is **_AU_**, so please don't go telling me what should be and what should not be. I had to read lots and lots of episode summaries to somehow spark up a muse, and this is the result of it. Please be considerate with my wandering thoughts.

...o0o...

The lake is still, and the light of the pale moon is reflected in its mirror-like surface. Out of a sudden, a swarm of hellish insects resembling bees break out from the nearby bushes and began to hover above the immense body of water as though attempting to catch a glimpse of its murky bottom.

As though awakened by the actions of Naraku's _Saimyoushou_, from the depths of the lake erupted bubbles and disturbed its peaceful slumber. It did not take long for the dark surface to break and reveal a crimson demon that exceeded the height of the trees in length.

After one careful glance at its surroundings, and the gigantic _Shinidamachuu_, that is, Soul-snatching Demon, rose higher and higher from its haven and began to soar in the night air to search for the human souls that were its sustenance.

...o0o...

In the little Shinto temple where the Undead Priestess had her abode, panic began to fill the air. A huge cloud had abruptly shut the moon from view, and it was flanked by floating lights, so like fireflies.

Kikyou, in her usual miko outfit, went outside upon hearing the commotion of the guards. Not only that, she felt as though someone was challenging her. Her dark eyes immediately widened upon seeing the cloud, the little white lights slowly being taken in as though being sucked by a strong wind. The beautiful priestess immediately understood that the points of light were actually souls being devoured by the dark cloud, for she herself has to live off on the souls of the newly departed to carry on living in her inanimate body of clay and bones, and in living kill those that had made her life miserable.

'Naraku's doing, I can see,' she thought to herself. She immediately sprang into action to collect her weapons. Throwing her quiver of arrows on her back and getting hold of her archer's bow, she approached one of the guards that had a horse tethered to a tree.

"I will borrow your horse now, if I may," Kikyou told the young soldier.

"Anytime, Priestess Kikyou," the guard replied, bowing to her and untied the horse from the tree.

At once, Kikyou mounted the steed in one graceful bound and sent it towards the cloud in a gallop. From nowhere, white and miniature _Shinidamachuu_, her pet demons that collect souls for her to use, appeared and followed her in her lead. As they neared the offending cloud, Kikyou gets a better view of the demon, which is actually a much larger, and redder, version of her _Shinidamachuu_. Her own Soul-snatching Demons rose as though to challenge the enemy, but they just disappeared in wisps of smoke when they approached the larger demon.

Undaunted by the state of her own pets, Kikyou continued and pulled the horse to a stop as the cliff comes into view, and there she could get an unobscured view of the _Shinidamachuu_ and easily fire her purity arrows at it to end its existence.

Getting down from her mount, she drew an arrow from her quiver and fitted it to her bow. The crimson demon was passing by in a leisurely manner, and she fired. Kikyou's aim was rather poor, and the arrow simply flew past the demon, missing it.

Alarmed by the arrow, the large _Shinidamachuu_ turned to face the priestess. As though by a call, the stolen souls trapped in Kikyou's body began to break free and slowly drift towards the demon.

'You aren't an easy thing to tackle, are you?' Kikyou thought to herself, trying her best not to go to pieces as she launched another arrow. Deprived of souls, her inanimate body would lose the ability to be mobile and she would pass away once more into the Netherworld. It must be her fear, but no matter what, her arrow misses once more and the huge demon began to pursue her, attracted to the souls she carries.

Wasting no time with the souls left intact to her, she quickly mounted the horse and set off in another gallop. The _Shinidamachuu_ then began to give chase and flew in her direction.

Kikyou grasped the horse's reins in a death grip as she looked over her shoulder. The demon was gaining on her.

...o0o...

Deep within the same woods, a more powerful Demon Lord walked along with his charges, a human girl mounted on a two-headed dragon and a little toad-like demon bearing a staff with two heads. His keen nose smelling trouble brewing in the air, Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks and looked around, his amber eyes narrowing.

Jaken, noticing his master's sudden halt, asked of him, "What's the matter, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru stole one more glance around before approaching the little girl on his dragon. "Wait here with Ah-Un, Rin. I sense a disturbed aura, and Jaken and I must find out what's going on."

Rin eagerly nodded and he gently stroked her raven hair with his one hand before he motioned Jaken to come with him. In time, the glow of his platinum locks disappeared among the trees and left Rin to her own thoughts, having no one but Ah-Un to talk to.

...o0o...

Sessoumaru raised an eyebrow to see numerous small and white _Shinidamachuu_ among the trees. They were all restless, but they wouldn't dare approach him because of his powerful demon energy.

"What is causing this disquiet?" he asked of Jaken as he ran his hand over the creamy-colored fur that was slung over his right shoulder.

His retainer thought for a while before replying with uncertainty, "It probably concerns the Undead Miko, my Lord. These little insects strongly resemble her Soul-snatching pets."

Letting out a low snort, Sesshoumaru carried on with Jaken at his heels. 'No doubt I somehow feel a trace of her aura,' he thought. He barely spared a moment to think about the old love of his half-brother, Inuyasha. He hated the _hanyou_ more than he hated Naraku, and he did not wish to become involved in any of his affairs, except perhaps in spoiling them. Kikyou shared a past connection with Inuyasha, and for that Sesshoumaru cared not about her.

But things were to change.

The white _Shinidamachuu_ shrank from the Demon Lord as he passed by them, but he minded them not when they began to follow at a safe distance behind.

...o0o...

Kikyou had clung on to her mount with all her strength, but one powerful energy burst from the red _Shinidamachuu_ was enough to throw her off the saddle, her body being deprived of souls. She was riding along the cliffside, and there was not enough footing or ground for her to land on. Alas, she had fallen down the rough crag and into the deep forest below.

Kikyou then summoned up her miko powers with the little energy she had left to cushion her landing on the mossy ground of the forest floor. One soul after another was leaving her body, and if she did not overcome the pestering demon, her body would become immobile, and sooner or later she would become no more than bony and muddy remains.

She tried to run her way through the forest, but the crimson _Shinidamachuu_ refused to give up the chase, and continued to summon the souls out of her body. Another soul left her through her back, and Kikyou collapsed down the damp ground, struggling to stay awake. The demon was directly above her, ready to devour the souls her body housed. She tried to cast a spell in the form of a bright light at the Soul-snatching demon, but it proved futile, as it swatted it away with a mere flick of its claws.

The _Shinidamachuu_ continued to hover above the hapless priestess, and the pupils of its red eyes seemed to dilate as it gave a command unheard to human ears. Kikyou convulsed violently, her own mahogany eyes widening as the demon began to suck the souls in the form of round lights out of her. Her mouth opened wide, but no scream erupted from her throat. Who would hear her pleas for help, anyway? No one could help her, and no one will.

Rapidly, a light, brighter than the souls being taken out of her hapless body, reached her vision and Kikyou instinctively closed her eyes against the blinding miasma. She was severely weakened; even breathing cost much. She heard an earsplitting cry, and in her dazed state, it hardly registered in her mind that it came from the red demon that was pursuing her.

Gradually, the bright light faded and the silence of the forest night replaced it. Kikyou struggled to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt like lead. Before totally passing out, she stole a rapid glance around her. The red _Shinidamachuu_ was nowhere to be seen, and she only saw the blurred outlines of the slender forms of her little _Shinidamachuu_ gathering up the escaped souls for her. Her hazy vision made out another blurred image among her pets, of a tall standing figure that was robed in white and red, and had silver hair that rivaled the glow of the moon. He was clutching a sword that still glowed brightly from the attack. She, though delirious, recognized who he was.

Unconsciously, she smiled. "You saved me," she whispered in a weak voice, hoping that her savior, knowing who he was, could hear. Her eyes closed, and she drifted into unconsciousness.

...o0o...

"That was a wonderful blow, Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken said in admiration, seeing the Demon Lord divide the gigantic _Shinidamachuu_ in two with one swipe from the Toukijin.

They had come across the struggling form of Kikyou after Sesshoumaru felt her aura close by. His Lord had remained motionless for a while, as though watching the scene between the priestess and the red demon with intent. But when the miko began to convulse as the souls were being forcefully driven out of her body, Sesshoumaru had, to Jaken's surprise, whipped out the Toukijin and dispatched of the demon.

Sesshoumaru gave a low snort as a reply to Jaken's compliment. He, seeing that Kikyou would completely recover in the midst of her _Shinidamachuu_, turned and said to his retainer, "Our business here is finished, Jaken. Let us go back to Rin and Ah-Un."

His retainer nodded and they went away from the scene, where the little demons were dutifully collecting the souls for the body of their mistress and depositing them to her motionless form. Sesshoumaru knew that sooner or later she will reawaken, her powers recovered.

The _taiyoukai_ stole one last glance over his shoulder to the unconscious miko, her hair lying strewn on the ground. Yes, he had heard her words before she slipped into unconsciousness, and secretly, he pondered about it.

'I saved her; I saved my _hanyou_ brother's old sweetheart... How ever, why ever, did I do that?'

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed for one moment.

'Hence, the sooner you rid yourself of all communication from that Undead Priestess, the better.'

...o0o...

Ha, one chapter up! So, how was that? Please review! I am off school, and I have almost all the time to listen to your feedback!


	3. A Bellflower in the Meadow

**Chapter Two: A Bellflower in the Meadow **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Another chapter! Yay! I know I might already sound repetitive, but please **if you do not support SesshKik or any of the characters concerned, HIT THE BACK BUTTON NOW!** I will not have people flaming me simply because they don't support the pairing or the characters I used! Also, once more, I accept constructive criticisms, but NO FLAMES! It sends my poor muse to the ICU, you know...

...o0o...

Rin's eyes fluttered open upon hearing the soft footsteps of her Lord. She had dozed off on Ah-Un's back as she waited for Sesshoumaru and Jaken to return from whatever business they attended, and they took quite a long time. No wonder she was overjoyed to see them return.

Jumping from the two-headed dragon's back, she ran to the silver-haired _youkai_ to greet him, and Sesshoumaru knelt on one knee to meet the child's face. Jaken could not help but put on an expression of disbelief. He still had to get used to Lord Sesshoumaru being so unusually kind to a simple human girl.

"Did you behave?" Sesshoumaru asked of Rin as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Though it hardly showed, a trace of an amused smile was on the _taiyoukai_'s lips.

"Yes, yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she nodded eagerly. She also pointed a stubby finger in Ah-Un's direction. "Ah-Un behaved as well!"

Sesshoumaru nodded, glancing for a while at his dragon before lifting up Rin in his one arm and putting her once more on Ah-Un's back.

"May Rin ask where Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken went?" she asked in all her innocence as she looked up at his amber orbs with her own chocolate brown eyes.

"You don't have to know, Rin," Sesshoumaru said seriously. "It really isn't important." He then spared a rather stern look on Jaken, giving him a hidden message not to tell the child about their encounter with the Undead Priestess.

The young child meekly submitted to Sesshoumaru's explanation, and they continued their way through the forest just as the faint traces of dawn began to peek among in the gaps in the trees' canopy.

...o0o...

The sweet twittering of the forest sparrows roused Kikyou from her deep reverie. Her mahogany eyes fluttered for a moment or two before opening fully.

'Where am I?'

Sitting up, she brushed her unkempt raven hair from her face as she took in her surroundings. Slowly, the images from the previous night entered her mind. The red _Shinidamachuu_... falling off a cliff... the intense pain of the souls being compellingly drawn out of her body... a bright light... and that platinum-haired figure...

"Sesshoumaru..." she muttered to herself, gazing at the spot where she last saw him. "How ever, why ever, did he save me?"

Just then, one of her _Shinidamachuu_ floated right up to her, and she held up a hand to gently tickle its chin before she sent it away. Thanks to her little Soul-snatching Demons and the souls they have gathered up and placed in her clay body, her strength was restored and her powers active once more. The events from the night before did not leave much as a scratch on the resurrected miko's body, but it had a great effect on her mind.

"So, that demon is capable of having sensibilities after all?" Kikyou said aloud as she stood up and summoned her _shinidamachuu_ to her. Running her slender fingers through her hair, she dispatched of its disheveled state and returned it to its original dark glory, tying it back from her face in her usual manner.

'But no matter what his reasons are,' Kikyou thought to herself as she gently trod on the soft ground, 'I am in his debt.'

In debt to a demon, the half-brother of her old love at that! The thought rather made Kikyou flinch, and she unconsciously clenched her hands.

'Well, Kikyou, trouble yourself not with him. In the meantime, go forth and recover your weapons in case Naraku goes on to challenge you again.'

Kikyou silently shook her head as she went back to her little temple, her _shinidamachuu_ lazily escorting her in stately dances aloft the wind before disappearing from view.

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru halted and said to his little company, "We will stop here for a while." They had reached the end of the woods, and a little plain lay down before them. The sun was shining brightly, and a cool breeze was softly blowing among the short grasses and wildflowers that abound in the field.

Rin gave an excited and pleased gasp as she leaped down her mount and said to Sesshoumaru with the childlike gleam in her eyes, "May Rin pick flowers for Sesshoumaru-sama? Please, please?"

Though all that she got for an answer was a low grunt from her Lord's throat, Rin knew he was letting her do as she pleased. Laughing merrily, the child ran out to the little meadow among the tiny black and yellow butterflies that hopped from flower to flower.

After closely watching Rin as she chased a pretty little blue butterfly, Sesshoumaru's amber eyes then faced Jaken.

"Keep your eyes on her," he ordered his retainer, who bowed in his direction before unhurriedly walking out to the field with his Staff of Heads. Though Jaken did not particularly enjoy the tedious job of baby-sitting for the girl whom his master revived, he followed Sesshoumaru's orders nonetheless.

Sesshoumaru, meanwhile, sat with his back on a tree, one of his knees bent close to his chest and the other lying straight before him. He rested his arm on his bent knee and rested his head back, his eyes closed, as though in sleep. But only a fool would know that he, as a powerful Lord of the Western Lands, hardly required sleep. Sesshoumaru, in truth, was thinking deeply about the past night, and though his ears and nose remained open to hear and smell any danger lurking around, he could not get the image of her, Kikyou, the Tragic Priestess, smiling at him, as well as her soft words.

'You saved me...'

...o0o...

Kikyou, sitting on her knees with her hands lying relaxed on her lap and dark eyes closed, was back in her little temple and meditating. The room was dark, for she had shut the windows as to not permit the rays of the sun to come in and interfere with her solitude. She could sense his aura nearby, and she felt an odd longing to be near it. She was trying to resist the yearning as much as she could, but she was losing the battle within herself.

Finally, gradually rising from her position with grace, Kikyou opened her eyes of dark mahogany. She collected her spare weapons from a corner of the chamber, trying her best not to hurry as she went out of her abode. As the wind passed through her raven hair, she set out for the fields, her mind set on what she should do.

...o0o...

Rin had made a little wreath of yellow blossoms for herself and an even smaller one out of white flowerets which she had crowned Jaken with, when he was not looking. She rolled on the green grass with laughter to see the little toad demon cross-eyed, trying to fathom what was the object dangling in front of his eyes and encircling his head like some weird coronet.

Suddenly, a purple five-petaled bloom caught Rin's eye. Losing interest in Jaken, she gently plucked the pretty blossom from the mother plant and examined it. The flower was shaped like a bell and had an intricate pattern of veins along its petals. Rin was intrigued, for she though she knew that she had used the tiny blossoms of the _akikaramatsu_ for Jaken and the larger flowers of the _kouzorina_ for her own wreath, she didn't know the name of the lovely purple flower.

"That's a lovely flower you're holding, little girl," a woman's kind voice rang in Rin's ears. She looked up to see a priestess, no doubt by her clothing, stooping beside her. But Rin knew she was more than that. She had come so quietly that the child didn't notice her presence. Her face was beautiful and smiling, and though she had a bow and quiver full of arrows slung across her back, she looked quite friendly.

Rin nodded, her face breaking into a wide smile. She felt she could trust this miko. "It's indeed pretty. It's a shame I don't know its name."

The miko, apparently pleased with Rin, stroked her hair as a mother would her daughter as she said, "That's a bellflower, an autumn flower called _kikyou_." Little did Rin know that the lovely priestess carried the same name.

Rin, her eyes brightening, then sought out Jaken, but he was nowhere to be seen. It seemed to Rin that her master's retainer had gotten mad at her for the wreath and slinked away.

"What's wrong?" the priestess asked, her soft mahogany eyes expressing concern. She had noticed the little girl looking around, as though searching for something or someone. "And what's your name, my child?"

"My name is Rin," the girl answered keenly. "My little friend seems to have run away. I think I made him angry... But please, lovely miko, you must meet them! They're so kind to me, you'd especially like-" Rin stopped in mid-sentence to see two figures moving towards them. Her eyes brightened to see who they are. Standing up and leaving the priestess, she ran towards the larger of the figures.

Kikyou could only stare in amazement as she recognized the person the little girl willingly approached. All the more, she couldn't believe what she was seeing when Rin excitedly held up the purple bellflower, and strong hands with clawed fingers gently took the offer from the human girl before amber eyes met hers.

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru was jolted from his musings by Jaken. He angrily affixed his fierce eyes at his retainer only to raise his eyebrows in turn to see the toad demon with a wreath of flowers dangling in front of his head.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru, come quick!" Jaken was hurriedly saying, jumping up and down and repeatedly pointing his Staff of Heads out into the meadow.

"What is it now?" Sesshoumaru demanded. "Have you failed to watch over Rin as I told you to do so?"

"It's not that, my Lord," the smaller demon hurriedly replied. "She's here!"

"She?"

"The priestess, the miko whom you saved from the giant Soul-snatching insect, she's here! I don't know her purposes, but she's out there, talking to Rin!"

Jaken nearly died of fright when Sesshoumaru whipped out one of his swords and slashed at him. But thankfully, it was yet another one of his master's mischievous and even sadistic tricks; he had used the healing sword, Tenseiga, and not the Toukijin. Though the wreath of flowers was knocked out of his head, he was otherwise unharmed. He looked around to see Sesshoumaru already walking out into the grassy meadow.

"Wait for me, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken screamed as he tripped on his garments as he tried to stand up.

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru felt as though he had stepped on cracking ice. There was Rin, running towards him and holding up a bellflower she had picked for him. He accepted the little girl's simple offer to show his appreciation but his eyes narrowed to see the Undead Miko a little distance away. She was stooped on the grass, but seeing his eyes on her, she stood up and returned the stare.

The miko and _taiyoukai_ stayed on the same position for a couple of minutes, as though trying to read each other's motives. However, it was Sesshoumaru who broke the silence first.

"What is your purpose for coming here, _miko_?" he said coldly, stressing the last word.

"Let's just say I wish to thank you for the favor you did to me," Kikyou replied, ignoring his aloof welcome.

Sesshoumaru snorted. "If that's your only reason, then your presence is no longer needed. I do no favors; I accept no thanks. I was simply testing the strength of the Toukijin on that red _youkai_ that you so failed to quell."

Kikyou, however, knew that Sesshoumaru was hiding something from her, and as a strong-willed yet still sensitive woman, she would somehow find out his true motives, sooner or later.

"I may have failed to subdue the _Shinidamachuu_," she replied. "And though I accept your claim that you killed the demon out of relish, I wish to repay you."

"I told you, I accept no thanks."

Rin confusedly shifted her glances from Kikyou to her Demon Lord. She couldn't make sense out of their conversation. Obviously, Sesshoumaru-sama and this pretty miko know each other, but what are they talking about? Rin longed to ask them certain questions, but she knew better than to speak when her Lord is talking to someone. She tried to speak to Jaken, but he refused to answer her.

It was Kikyou's turn to grunt. Clearly, Sesshoumaru wasn't making things easier for her.

"Well... if that's the case, then I'd better voice out my true reasons. _Taiyoukai_," Kikyou said, emphasizing the last word like he did earlier, "I wish to join you and your...companions to destroy Naraku."

Neither Sesshoumaru nor his companions could believe their ears.

"Join us to destroy Naraku?" Sesshoumaru sneered. "What are you thinking of, miko? What do you know of our purposes of traveling in this land? What makes you think that we are here to help you destroy that _hanyou_ bastard?"

At this, Kikyou was silent. Oh well, she had done her best to convince Sesshoumaru. She doesn't even know what had crossed her mind when she decided to do such a thing, but now it is up to him to either accept or reject her offer.

Sesshoumaru eyed Kikyou carefully. Even he couldn't understand the reason behind her surprising proposition, but he knew that he detested Naraku and wants his face erased from the earth, and at the same time, he knew that Kikyou would be a very essential help if he were to defeat that coward who uses puppets to communicate with others. _But_, he knew about her connection with Inuyasha. What a fool he must look if his _hanyou_ half-brother saw him walking with the priestess...

"S-sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin's quavering voice made Sesshoumaru look down and meet the child's pleading face.

"What is it, Rin?" he asked quietly.

Rin took in a deep breath before saying, "She looks just fine, Sesshoumaru-sama. She's probably very kind as well. Please, can she join us, Sesshoumaru-sama? Rin will behave always."

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened greatly. Rin had always obeyed his orders and never asked for anything in return. She was an innocent child, very trusting and lovable, and it seems the miko had earned her friendship. Though he hardly showed it, he cares for Rin as a father would his child, and he wants her to be happy. But what she's requesting seems to be an awfully hard choice to make...

"Oh, Rin, don't you know you're giving Lord Sesshoumaru a hard time?" Jaken suddenly butted in angrily. "Let him make his own decisions!"

Rin bowed her head for a moment but once more looked up at Sesshoumaru with hopeful eyes.

At this, Sesshoumaru made his decision.

"Go and get Ah-Un, Jaken," he ordered. "Rin, we're going."

Rin let her head fall in disappointment, but she humbly obeyed. She followed Sesshoumaru as they walked away from the beautiful priestess.

In Kikyou's side, she sighed deeply. She only wanted to repay the good he had done, but he did not wish her company anyway. Kikyou turned around and started to walk away as well. 'At least I have done what I could...'

Sesshoumaru's voice, however, halted her. She turned around once more to make sure her ears were not deceiving her.

"What are you waiting for, miko? If you're coming with us, you should know better not to slow our progress."

At this statement, Rin let out a joyful shout and hugged one of Sesshoumaru's legs to express her gratitude.

"Thank you, thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she said over and over as she ran towards Kikyou and took her hand, pulling her towards the rest of her companions. "Come, let's hurry, Priestess… Am…" Rin was unsure of what to call her, for she yet knew not her name.

"Kikyou, my name is Kikyou," the miko said, answering Rin's unasked question, letting the child pull her along impatiently.

"Priestess Kikyou!" Rin said with awe. "You're named like that pretty blossom!"

"Yes, Rin," Kikyou said, smiling. "Come; let's not make Sesshoumaru-sama wait..."

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru watched as Rin began to pull the reluctant figure of Kikyou towards them. Jaken was muttering over and over as he held Ah-Un in place, "Now we have two humans in our company..." Sesshoumaru knew his retainer couldn't believe his decision, and neither could he. But he didn't have much of a choice, did he?

He put on a mask of neutrality as Kikyou picked up Rin and placed her atop his two-headed dragon. The little girl was obviously happier now, and kept a steady stream of chatter with their new companion. As a breeze passed over them, Sesshoumaru tucked a few stray platinum locks of his hair behind his ears and they went on their way.

Behind him, Kikyou could not help but smile as Rin told her of her adventures with her Lord Sesshoumaru, her mount Ah-Un and her little friend Jaken. Kikyou gazed at Sesshoumaru, who had his back facing them. He was certainly full of surprises. She never knew that he had a little human girl as a companion, who reminded her so much of her sister Kaede when she was still of that age. Kikyou just had to get to know him more.

'You are more than the Demon Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru. I can very well see that...'

...o0o...

End of Chapter two! Yay! Thanks to your reviews, my muse was taken out of the ICU and into the recovery room. I hope you'll stay with me to the end!


	4. The Flower of the Deer Clan, Kikumo

**Chapter Three: The Flower of the Deer Clan, Kikumo **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Yes! Okay, Arwen, Dark Sorceress of Fate, thanks for your review and this chapter will answer a major question that's in your head, so don't hesitate to read on!

...o0o...

Dusk was falling when Sesshoumaru called them to a halt. They had left the plains, and had entered a forest once more. There was hardly a source of light, save for the occasional peek of a half moon among the branches.

Kikyou could not help but breathe a sigh of relief when the Demon Lord finally allowed them to rest. He had not talked to her at all the whole time, and not even so much glanced at her, but thanks to Rin, she somehow felt accepted in his group.

Rin and Sesshoumaru. Kikyou observed with keen interest as Rin dismounted from Ah-Un and went up to Sesshoumaru, who had sat among the strong roots of an oak tree. Her brow furrowed as though attempting to fathom what her eyes were telling her. She hardly knew of the whereabouts of the _taiyoukai_ before he saved her from the _Shinidamachuu_; she merely knew him as the cold, cruel half-brother of Inuyashaoh, curse that _hanyou_ for deserting her for her weak reincarnation in the form of Kagome!whose resentment for humankind was greater than anyone she ever knew.

Resentment for humankind? That thought is but a paradox to the reality she had just known. The trip to the forest was long enough to let Rin tell Kikyou how she came into Sesshoumaru's life. A poor orphaned girl who was mercilessly killed by wolves, Rin was unexpectedly revived by Sesshoumaru, whom she had taken care of when he lay injured in the forest after a bloody duel with his half-brother.

Kikyou was touched by Rin's loyalty to her Lord; the miko could sense that the foundation of that trust dug deeper than the Demon Lord bringing her back to the dead. The human child looked up to Sesshoumaru as a father figure, and it did not come as a small surprise to Kikyou. She did not understand how an arrogant _taiyoukai_ could take an orphaned child under his wing, and a human girl at that. Did he not hate her kind?

Kikyou shook her head to drive away all the questions. She was certain that Sesshoumaru had a compassionate side hidden somewhere in his heart. If not for that, he would never have revived Rin; if not for that, he would have allowed her to become prey to the _Shinidamachuu_...

The miko then stood up, brushing dry away dry leaves that had fallen on her hair and garments. She laid her bow and quiver against a tree and she stretched her tired limbs. Rin had a mount, but she had chosen to walk throughout the trip, turning down all of Rin's requests that she ride Ah-Un with her. Kikyou would give away all personal comforts for the sake of children, and more than that, really. Sesshoumaru was on her mind throughout the time; she was still treading on thin ice around the silver-haired _youkai_, and she would not allow the Demon Lord to judge her harshly for not making good use of her feet.

Kikyou's eyes darted to Jaken, who was busy making a fire to ward off the chill of the night air. It was autumn, judging by the shortening of days and the appearance of the autumnal blooms such as her namesake. She chuckled slightly to herself as she wondered how ever could Sesshoumaru tolerate the presence of an annoying toad demon, but she turned serious to see Rin sitting on Sesshoumaru's lap, talking intently to the golden-eyed demon. One of Kikyou's eyebrows rose, for he did not even resist the little girl when she hugged the end of his furry pelt.

'Oh well,' Kikyou thought. 'First things should go first. I'd better summon my _shinidamachuu_ to me. Heaven knows when I will need the sustenance of new souls.' Her mahogany eyes suddenly hardened. 'I have wished to be free of this burden, this suffering. The sooner we bring an end to Naraku's existence, the better.'

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru had on an impassive look on his face as he listened to Rin's chatter about Kikyou. "She's such a lovely person, Sesshoumaru-sama!" "You will enjoy talking to her, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Such were the words he heard from the little girl. Deep inside, however, he did not know whether to laugh at or to be annoyed with her innocence. Whatever did she see in the Undead Miko? Or is it simply because the raven-haired priestess had the knack of winning the love of any child she runs across to?

Just as Rin talked to Kikyou during their journey, Jaken constantly badgered him with questions as to why he accepted the priestess in their company.

"Why did you give in to the foolish demands of Rin, my Lord? She doesn't know what she's thinking!" "She probably just wants to betray us to Naraku, Lord Sesshoumaru!" "She's a _miko_, Sesshoumaru-sama, why ever did you allow her to come with us? Who's to be sure she won't seal us to a tree when our backs our turned, like what she did to your half-brother?"

At the last question, Sesshoumaru had fingered the hilt of the Toukijin, thus effectively silencing his retainer. Though he turned his face away, his amber eyes were blazing. Can't the brainless toad see that the _taiyoukai_ himself doesn't know what had crossed his mind? Yes, he had thought twice about making that difficult decision, like he did in the past, but deep inside, he knew it was not only Rin that motivated him to do so. Alas, what had possessed his mind?

Sesshoumaru looked past Rin to Kikyou, who's standing there motionless, as though deep in thought. 'Only a fool would fall in love with my _dear_ brother,' he thought to himself. If not for her relationship with that brash _hanyou_, Naraku wouldn't have found a breach in her powers. If Naraku hadn't found such weakness, she wouldn't have died, and in dying be resurrected fifty years later by some old crook to live a half-life that tormented her as much as her past stabbed at her.

The Demon Lord tilted his head slightly as a wind passed over them, making the priestess' hair flutter in graceful arcs. He, however, drove a thought that was forming in his mind even before he can understand it.

'She is your ally in destroying Naraku, nothing more. You will have nothing more to do with her when our quest is over.' Abruptly, his amber eyes softened slightly in sadness. 'But if she only knew... we do have a common trait: we are both tormented by our distant pasts.'

...o0o...

Rin gasped in astonishment as white winged insects resembling eels appeared out of nowhere and began to circle their little group. Jaken slightly went closer to the fire as though to keep the soul-snatching demons from reaching him. Sesshoumaru had not so much glanced at them. The little demons were avoiding him, obviously feeling his powerful _youki_. Rather, they hovered close to Kikyou, who petted a few of them.

"Are they yours, Priestess Kikyou?" Rin asked with interest, eyeing the red-eyed demons. She was munching on a few nuts that she and Kikyou had gathered for food. They were fortunate to find them in the dim light.

"Yes, Rin," Kikyou smiled, and she commanded one of the _shinidamachuu_ to come up to Rin, who held it close to her face to examine the white demon. It gently brushed her cheek with its tiny wings and was quite friendly.

Rin let out a pleased squeal and said to Kikyou, "He's so cute, Priestess Kikyou! What's his name? What does he do?"

Kikyou slightly lost the smile on her face. She couldn't hide from the little girl the dark reason why she kept the demons as her pets. Sesshoumaru might tell her anyway, or Jaken. That toad demon was even more suspicious about her than his master is. "Rin... they're called _shinidamachuu_, and... I don't give them individual names. They have the ability to gather souls."

Rin stopped chewing nuts to seriously stare at Kikyou. Kikyou could see that she was rather frightened by the prospect of having her soul taken away by the little demons. "What do they do with the souls they get, Priestess Kikyou?"

This question, Kikyou couldn't answer. She stared at the crackling flames of the fire with sorrow. Rin might be repulsed when she finds out that Priestess Kikyou, the kind Priestess Kikyou, orders the cute _shinidamachuu_ to steal souls to keep her clay body moving. She does not deny to herself that she feels guilt at having to live that way. She was a _miko_, and it was a miko's duty to save human souls from demons, not the other way around, or to exploit souls for her own personal welfare. But she had to live, she had to...

"Never mind what they do, Rin," Sesshoumaru's authorative voice spoke up. He fixed his gaze on Kikyou, who looked up in surprise and relief to hear Sesshoumaru defend her self-respect indirectly by driving Rin from finding out the dark side of Kikyou. "Keep your pets away from my sight unless you really need them." His amber eyes flashed with warning before closing again in contemplation.

Kikyou got his hidden message by what he stated as 'unless you really need them', and nodded. He does have a fine way of expressing hidden words. Sesshoumaru was beginning to confuse her. Why is he defending her so? He could so easily foil Rin's affection for the miko by simply divulging the truth of her existence which he knew so well, but he chose otherwise. At the corner of her eye, she saw Jaken shaking his head in utter disbelief. So, he didn't understand Sesshoumaru's reasons as well? The Demon Lord was trapping her in a maze of questions.

Just then, a melodious sound began to fill the air. Rin's eyes opened wide, and Jaken stood up at once and looked hastily around for the source of the music. Sesshoumaru gradually opened his amber orbs as his sharp ears picked up the tune. It was so awfully familiar... and so was the powerful demon aura and scent that suddenly assailed his senses.

Kikyou herself was alarmed by the mighty aura her miko powers detected that she hardly heard the haunting beauty of the music. All the while, she had thought her bow and arrows would come of no use for a while, as Sesshoumaru, being the Lord of the Lands of the West, could easily drive away demons by his mere passing, but this new _youkai_ energy seems strong enough to challenge his own power.

"What's that?" Rin asked, nervously glancing around the forest, the evenly measured tunes reverberating among the trees. "It's lovely... but oddly, frightening."

"It's coming from a koto, no doubt," Jaken answered after a while of thinking. "Whoever must be playing must be a master of the instrument. And Lord Sesshoumaru... doesn't it sound like we have heard it before?"

"Jaken, stay here with Rin," Sesshoumaru commanded after a period of silence, standing up unhurriedly and he began to walk among the gaps of the trees to trace the source of the powerful aura. At the extremely serious tone of his master and apparently terrified by the demon energy emanating from within the woods, Jaken did not dare counter the order.

"Just wait in here and help Jaken protect Rin," Kikyou ordered her own _shinidamachuu_ as she slung her quiver across her back and carried her bow in one hand. "I am going with Sesshoumaru-"

"What makes you think you're coming?" Sesshoumaru snapped, stopping in his tracks and looking over his shoulder to meet the determined eyes of the priestess. Surprisingly, there was an apprehensive look printed in his eyes.

"I feel a demon's aura, and I am a miko," Kikyou replied coldly to counter his retort, her dark eyes flashing in return. "And nothing is stopping me from going to it."

"And if I say that you could not go?" Sesshoumaru demanded with a haughty edge in his voice.

"I am not like your toad servant whom you can order around," Kikyou said with a laugh of challenge, making Jaken tighten his hold on the Staff of Heads and to pucker his mouth in anger.

Sesshoumaru's eyes pierced Kikyou's face, but she did not look away. He then looked farther behind her and saw Rin, who was attempting to make Jaken cool down from Kikyou's derisive remark. The music of the forest increased in intensity, the sound of the fingers plucking koto strings already very evident and Kikyou could sense herself becoming impatient. Strangely, the edge of his mouth curved in a smirk. With a snort, he waved his clawed hand in the Priestess' direction, and he went on his way.

Kikyou, realizing that this is a gesture of consent, wasted no time in rushing to catch up with the retreating figure of the Demon Lord. In time, they vanished among the trees, and still, the music of the unseen koto carried on.

...o0o...

'Stubborn woman...' Sesshoumaru thought exasperatingly to himself as he concentrated on tracing the source of the _youki_. Kikyou was on his heels, an arrow on her bow and alert, ready to fire at anything that dared to stand on their way.

'Stubborn demon...' Kikyou secretly thought in her mind as she followed the gleam of Sesshoumaru's platinum hair. The forest sounds had gone silent, and all that their ears heard was the eerie music of the koto. Sesshoumaru was unusually tense, and Kikyou could not help but be uptight as well, as though their emotions were linked.

"The aura couldn't have come from Naraku," she said, attempting to build a conversation with the distant _taiyoukai_.

"You should have known Naraku well enough to know that the _youki_ is that of a full demon, not of a _hanyou_," Sesshoumaru immediately countered.

"I know," Kikyou said under her breath. Can't he open up to her? After a while of silence, she said, "However, I have to admit I never felt such strong demon energy before. It...almost equals yours in power..." Kikyou broke off. She wanted to voice out her thoughts to Sesshoumaru in an attempt to somehow break his walls, but she doubted if she could express herself in words that Sesshoumaru's logic could accept.

Sesshoumaru looked at her and he sensed her uncertainty. He was amazed when he sensed her fear that she would offend him with her words. "Worry not, miko," he replied less coldly, but still with an edge of authority. "Your calculations are correct; this demon's energy rivals mine greatly, and my nose just picked up its scent...and I just know who it is." To why he was trying to ease her awkwardness, he didn't know. He usually enjoyed planting fear into the hearts of others, but this was one of the few exceptions.

"You do?" Kikyou said in surprise, slightly lowering her bow. "Who is it, then?"

"You shall see," he replied, and noticing that she had lowered her weapon, said, "Keep your bow in attention. I do not know why the giver of this aura had chosen to be active again. She can be a challenge, even to a miko."

Kikyou slowly searched Sesshoumaru's face, but he turned away upon noticing her scrutiny. Letting out a silent curse, Kikyou drew the bowstring taught and stood guard. _She?_ A demoness possessing such a powerful aura? It was too incredible to be true.

...o0o...

Miko and _taiyoukai_ had walked for like miles within the forest before finally finding the source of the aura. Sesshoumaru slowed his steps, and Kikyou followed suit, her fingers clasping her bow and arrow in a sweaty grip.

"She's near," Sesshoumaru whispered, and Kikyou nodded. In time, they came to a break in the trees, and their eyes caught sight of a slender female figure stooping beside an ebony black koto with silver strings that dazzled in the half moon.

She was a _youkai_, no doubt by her pointed ears strangely resembling that of a doe, with black tips. On her brow, nearly hidden by her bangs, were two black sharp markings resembling arcs just above her eyebrows. Long fawn hair graced her head, reaching below her knees and lying spread on the mossy ground like a river. Her hair was tied in a loose plait behind, but a long lock of her bangs dangled in front of her right ear. Another large lock of her bangs was rolled around a blue hair stick that had a tiny glass chrysanthemum and green tassel on the top just above her left ear. Like Sesshoumaru, her eyelids were tinted, but unlike his, hers was of a dark brown, and not red.

She was clad in a kimono in various shades of earth colors deepening from the waist to the hem and from her arms to the very bottom of her sleeves. Orange-red flower patterns were scattered randomly on the hem of her kimono and on her sleeves, which was tied back from her arms by a black ribbon wound from her shoulders and crossing her back, much in the same way as women from Kikyou's own village do when they work or when they had to fight, exposing pale arms that had a graceful snakelike brown markings on them.

She also had a shawl the color of yellow ochre, the same color as her sash, wrapped around her arms, and a small red box dangled from her sash on a piece of black twine. She was rather beautiful, and Kikyou had to admit that the vision of this seemingly elegant girl, with her eyes closed and playing the koto skillfully with her fingers, was on the contrary to what she imagined as a fearsome demoness that had on a form too hellish to describe.

They just stood there like statues, seemingly caught in place by a web that the female _youkai_ cast upon them by her intoxicating music. Abruptly, the music stopped and they were driven out of their stupor. The girl removed her fingers from the silver strings and opened her eyes, revealing orbs of deep green. Without facing them, she muttered in a cold tone, "So, _taiyoukai_, you come to me after all these years...and you even dare to further deepen my hurt by bringing a miko with you?"

At these cold words, Kikyou drew her bow, but Sesshoumaru stepped forward and said, "Kikumo...we meet again."

The demoness slowly turned her head in their direction, her eyes narrowing and a hateful grin began to dance on her mouth, marring the gentle beauty of her face. "And who is this miko? I am surprised that Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, the enemy of humans and _hanyous_, is in the company of a human priestess! Alas, it seems he had twisted his sensibilities as the years passed..." A vengeful laugh followed her mocking words.

Kikyou thought Sesshoumaru might have drawn the Toukijin right then and there, but to her surprise, he remained still, his face neutral and silently taking in all the insults being thrown upon him. Kikyou then stepped forth and drew the bowstring to the fullest, saying, "Demoness, I am surprised that you know me not, having such a powerful _youki_ and all. I am Kikyou, and do not underestimate me, for I have the power to send you to decay in hell."

The Demoness widened her smirk and a dark shadow seemed to be cast over her mossy eyes as she said, "Well, Priestess _Kikyou_, I am happy to meet you. I am Kikumo, a daughter of the Deer clan. Rather, I think you should rephrase your words. _You_ are the one who should not underestimate me, for I am who they call the Flower of the Deer clan, the most powerful of them all."

Kikyou felt her face becoming hot with anger at Kikumo's proud tone. It so betrayed her previous gentle-looking appearance. She heard herself shouting back, "I have no time to listen to your titles, Kikumo. You did not come to this forest just to play your useless koto, did you? Why have you come?"

Kikumo let out another laugh before saying coolly, "Look who's speaking? It seems Sesshoumaru had acquired a woman to voice out for him!" Her face then lost the evil smile, becoming serious and her eyebrows began to contort in an angry way. "Miko, that _taiyoukai_, that _inuyoukai_ who is with us tonight, had wronged me greatly. He was there, strutting his way around in the Western Lands, while I, Kikumo, alone, unthanked, rejected...wanders this world bearing a gash that is impossible to heal."

At the turn of her words, Kikyou turned her head to look at Sesshoumaru. He was still motionless, but she could tell that he understood what the deer _youkai_ was talking about. He was locking his amber eyes with Kikumo's green ones in a composed yet docile way that he had never showed Kikyou or Rin. Kikyou suddenly felt an unnatural feeling coming to her heart, as though she was being pierced by her own purity arrows.

"And what do you want?" Sesshoumaru asked her quietly.

Silence followed for like an eternity. Kikumo had placed a hand on her koto and hid her eyes within the shadows of her bangs as she gave an audible whisper that spoke of all the bitterness in her heart, "Revenge...that is what I want."

Kikyou felt her feelings explode within her as she fired her arrow at the sitting demoness. But Kikumo had at once plucked a string of her koto, and the arrow was dissolved a mere few inches from her face. Kikyou gasped in amazement and dismay, and Kikumo's lips broke into another smirk as she said, "You were a fool, miko, to assume that my koto is of no use to my _youkai_ powers."

Her hand then plucked a series of notes, and Kikyou gave a scream as she felt as though her body was being seized up as numerous points of white light erupted from her body as one. Kikumo was using her koto to summon up the souls from her body. She fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

At this, Sesshoumaru shed his indifferent outlook. He drew the Toukijin from his waist and all that he had to do to send a power wave at the other _youkai_ was to slash it across the air, which he did.

"Leave her alone, Kikumo," he said.

But Kikumo had successfully deflected the blow of the Toukijin using the ebony black pole of her weapon, a _naginata_ which was her koto transformed, the silver strings converging and widening to form the curved blade and its pointed metal counterweight at the other end of the weapon. She pointed its blade at Sesshoumaru before saying, "This won't be our last meeting, Sesshoumaru."

With that a wind passed over them as she transformed into her _youkai_ form of a deer and she sprinted away into the forest in such speed that she was invisible. All that marked her passing was the rustling of leaves and the breaking of twigs beneath sharp hooves.

...o0o...

Mwahaha! An evil gal, isn't she, this Kikumo? I have managed to draw her, and if you wish to see it, use the URL I posted in my profile. I know, she may look gentle, but alas, it seems her desire for revenge has rotted her heart. What do you think transpired between her and Sesshoumaru in the past? ;)


	5. A Demoness' Origins and a New Conspiracy

**Chapter Four: A Demoness' Origins and a New Conspiracy **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Hmm, now that the koto master has been revealed, more questions are formed. Well, what else can I say? I am glad to have loyal reviewers, especially you, Motoko Aoyama! Words are not enough to thank you for supporting my story! ;)

...o0o...

Back in the camp, Rin was trying to name some of Kikyou's _shinidamachuu_ so as to drive away her twinges of fear and to pass her time with the boring toad demon, who would constantly shift his feet and glance at the spot where they last saw their Lord and the Priestess. The eerie notes of the invisible koto had died out some time ago, but the atmosphere remained tight because the comforting sounds of the night insects chirping at the moon refused to return, as though driven away by the magic of the music.

"Would you mind if I call you Yuki?" the child asked of one _shinidamachuu_ that alighted on her right hand and looked up at her with its scarlet orbs. "You're so white, like snow... Or are you Kishi? You and your brothers and sisters look so alike! I can hardly tell you from them..."

Suddenly, the little _shinidamachuu_'s pupils seemed to dilate in alarm, and Rin withdrew her hand from the creature in surprise, more than fear. The identical companions of the little Soul-snatching Demon also expressed agitation, and they all focused their flaming eyes on the direction where Sesshoumaru-sama and Priestess Kikyou went.

"What's wrong, my friends?" Rin asked, standing up and clasping her hands together in a nervous manner as she tried to fathom what disturbed the white winged demons. Even in the cold of the night, she could feel sweat breaking out on her palms. Something was terribly wrong.

As one, the _shinidamachuu_ darted off into the forest, abandoning their mistress' command that they stay with Rin and Jaken. Rin gasped in alarm and ran after their retreating pearly trails while screaming, "Wait for me! Don't leave me behind!"

Jaken also stood up upon seeing Rin run after the demons. "Hey, Lord Sesshoumaru told us to stay in the camp! Come back here!" he shouted after Rin, but she appeared not to hear her little guardian's words, and continued to run. Jaken gave another irritated grunt while scratching his bald head before he took off after the little girl as fast as his own stumpy legs could carry him. What a hardheaded girl...Sesshoumaru-sama will kill him with his bare hands if something happened to her while she's in his care...

"Can't you slow down?" he shouted again as he tripped over a raised tree root in an attempt to catch up with the energetic running figure of Rin.

...o0o...

Rin was out of breath before the _shinidamachuu_ began to slow down as they neared a moonlit break among the trees. She had inflicted several bruises upon herself as she followed the darting _shinidamachuu_, but for some reason, her feet couldn't stop. Sesshoumaru-sama and Priestess Kikyou must be in trouble.

The little girl rested her weight against the mossy trunk of a tree to regain her lost breath. Her heart was pounding painfully against her rib cage, and the side of her neck was throbbing dully. About ten seconds elapsed before Rin took another step with her feet. Around her were numerous points of white light floating in the thick night air. She caught sight of the miko's pets gathering the little lamplights in their claws and entering the treeless spot before coming back to get another of the lights.

'What are these strange fireflies?' Rin asked herself, puzzled. Though the lights seemed harmless, she was wary under their presence as she walked around the large tree and out into the break of the trees. Her child's eyes widened to see the forms of Lord Sesshoumaru and Priestess Kikyou at its very heart.

The Demon Lord was kneeling beside a supine figure of the miko. Despite Sesshoumaru's seemingly concerned position, Rin saw from afar an expression devoid of all emotion in her Lord's eyes as the _shinidamachuu_ deposited the points of light on Kikyou's motionless body. Whatever happened to Priestess Kikyou? And why were the pearly demons gathering the firefly-like lights and giving it to her body to absorb? What are those points of lights anyway?

Rin shook the questions from her head as she ran towards Sesshoumaru with the cry, "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Hearing his name called, the _taiyoukai_'s amber-golden eyes darted in her direction. One of his eyebrows rose as Rin hugged his waist and looked up at him with apprehension in her chocolate-brown eyes.

"Why are you here, Rin?" he asked seriously, obviously disappointed at her for having disobeyed him. "Did I not tell you to stay with Jaken?"

"Please forgive Rin, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin muttered in apology, breaking away from her Lord and keeping her head facing the ground. "But Priestess Kikyou's little pets suddenly became frightened and flew here, and Rin followed them."

Sesshoumaru gently raised the child's head to look at her in the eye. Though his tone was calm, Rin could see that he was disciplining her.

"You shouldn't have done that," he said. "I forgive you this time for your curiosity, but don't disappoint me again, Rin."

"Rin won't disobey you again, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin answered sincerely, placing both her hands over her heart to prove her promise.

Sesshoumaru nodded once before asking again. "And where is Jaken? I commanded him to watch over you."

As though to answer his question, a feeble croaky voice from behind the trees answered, "Jaken is here, Lord Sesshoumaru."

The lesser demon emerged from the trees, panting, his brow covered in sweat. He looked as though he had run a marathon, and he was clutching onto his beloved Staff of Heads for dear life.

"Forgive me, Lord Sesshoumaru," he pleaded in a small voice, bending his knees in Sesshoumaru's direction and touching the damp soil with his brow in a genuflect for apology. "I tried to stop Rin, but she didn't listen to me. I ran after her, but she was too fast for me..."

Just as Jaken broke off, Sesshoumaru's ears twitched upon hearing a moan emanating from Kikyou's throat. He diverted his attention from his retainer to focus on the miko's form stirring after a long while of being unmoving. The _taiyoukai_ had to admit that Kikumo would make a dangerous foe for the beautiful Priestess. Not even the Red _Shinidamachuu_ had succeeded to draw souls out of her clay body as quick as the Deer Demon, which was not surprising. He swiftly recalled that he once told the emerald-eyed demoness back in the Western Lands that she was a rival to his power, and his heart unconsciously clenched at the memory.

Kikyou's eyes mahogany eyes blinked open; sheer surprise came to her senses as she felt Rin throwing herself at her weary form. The child had forgotten her earlier questions about the points of light entering the miko's body, and all that she wished now was that the priestess be unhurt.

"Priestess Kikyou, Priestess Kikyou! Are you all right?" Rin's concerned words flooded her ears, and she weakly raised her right hand to cup the little girl's cheek. Her soul was touched seeing the worry in the younger human's eyes.

"I am fine, Rin," Kikyou said to appease Rin, though she felt as though her body weighed tons.

"I suggest that you sit up, miko," Sesshoumaru said coldly, seeing that she was awake. "I can't have you lying down there, and don't presume to think that I will oblige to carry you."

'I will rot in hell before I let you carry me, _taiyoukai_,' Kikyou's mind echoed angrily as she painfully sat up and gently hugged Rin, who was sitting on her lap. The miko's long raven hair was released from its loose ponytail, the dark locks spilling over her shoulders like water from a broken dam, and Rin buried her face in the cold strands. Such a nice child... so caring in comparison to her cold master...

She sought Sesshoumaru's eyes, but he hardened his amber orbs and she turned away quickly. So, Sesshoumaru had become cold again after lightening up with her for such a short glorious moment before that rotten Kikumo showed up? Kikyou flinched at remembering the gentle gaze the platinum-haired Demon Lord bestowed upon the other _youkai_. She sorrowed inwardly, for though she tried to deny it, she secretly envied the Demoness. What a favored person of heaven she must be, for Sesshoumaru will hardly ever spare such a docile look for anyone! Why did he do that, in the first place?

"What transpired here, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Jaken asked of his master, apparently noticing Kikyou's weakened state.

But Sesshoumaru was silent. Just then, Rin left her seat on Kikyou's lap when her curious eyes caught sight of a lone snow-white chrysanthemum in full bloom just behind the Demon Lord.

"Kikyou-sama," Rin called, pointing down at the blossom that was as large as the child's palm. "There's this strange flower in here."

Kikyou and Sesshoumaru glanced at the peculiar bloom as one. They both knew that the flower grew on the very spot where the beautiful Demoness sat earlier.

"A chrysanthemum..." Kikyou muttered, not making a concrete sense about the appearance of the blossom. Suddenly, Kikumo's name was repeated in her mind, and it made sense. "Kikumo...chrysanthemum field, as her name means..."

At the mention of the Demoness' name, Jaken suddenly trembled in fear, and it did not miss Kikyou's attention.

"What have you to know about the _youkai_ Kikumo?" Kikyou demanded, her strength returning to her body and enabling her to move more easily.

Jaken, however, turned his nose away from the priestess in scorn. "And why should I tell you, after the insult you threw at my face a couple of moments ago?"

"Maybe I am not being clear, you little toad," Kikyou fiercely countered, getting hold of her discarded bow and an arrow. "It's either you speak or I draw that demon-soul of yours out of your useless body and send it to hell."

Jaken recoiled at hearing Kikyou's threat. He crawled towards Sesshoumaru, saying, "Please help me, Lord Sesshoumaru! She's threatening me!"

The lesser demon, however, felt more threatened when the _taiyoukai_'s eyes pierced him with such a ferocious anger that he retraced his steps and knelt to give in to Kikyou's demands.

"Very well," Jaken said, his voice shaking. He then cleared his throat for effect as Rin made her way to Kikyou's lap once more to listen to whatever Sesshoumaru's retainer had to say. "This Kikumo you speak of is no other than the paragon of the Deer Clan. Recall that even though _youkai_ can be conceived out of almost anything, there are major _youkai_ tribes, or clans as they are sometimes called. Included in them are the Cat and Wolf tribe..." Rin abruptly clutched at Kikyou upon hearing the name of the Wolf Clan. The Priestess put an arm around her, for she knew that the child still held horrible memories about her death in the hands of the Wolves.

"...but of course, the most powerful of these is no other than Lord Sesshoumaru's own Dog Clan. Now, the Deer Clan is deemed as the most peaceful, yet at the same time the most withdrawn of all these tribes. They rarely venture out of their abodes to communicate with other _youkai_, therefore much of their whereabouts and their powers are unknown."

Jaken spared a fearful look at the contemplative figure of Sesshoumaru before he continued. He knew that his Lord was listening, and he will pay dearly if he mentioned something that offended the Demon Lord. "However, we do have concrete knowledge about the abilities of the Deer _youkai_. Their powers are based on earth and plant life. They can make things grow at their will, and they do know the virtues of every plant, be it healing abilities or poison. These demons would devote their existence into caring for the land and beautifying it. Never once had the Deer Clan caused unrest in the Western Lands."

'And he says Kikumo is the paragon of this clan?' Kikyou thought to herself, her thoughts breaking into laughter. 'It seems she is but the opposite of this toad's very description of her clan.'

"Now, Kikumo, as I said earlier, was the deemed as the shining example of the Deer Clan. She was the most powerful of them all, a master of the koto and the staple weapon of her tribe (such as there was), the _naginata_. Her name, which means chrysanthemum field, points to her extraordinary trait that she leaves behind chrysanthemum flowers to mark her passing. No doubt, that chrysanthemum in this place is yet another of her fabled marks."

Kikyou and Rin glanced at the blossom, which seemed to radiate a light of its own, glowing solitarily in the moonlight in a manner just like the _shinidamachuu_, which positioned themselves among the trees at Kikyou's bidding.

"Though the exact date of her birth is unknown, she had become a full-fledged _youkai_ by the time the war between the Cat tribe and the Dog tribe, led by Lord Sesshoumaru's father Inutaisho was nearing its conclusion. The Deer tribe would have nothing to do with the war, but when it neared its end about fifty years ago, their lands were threatened by the invading Cat _youkai_ that Kikumo's father, Hisano, allied himself with Inutaisho and it was one of the rare moments when the Deer Clan made use of their powers of defense, which were rather impressive."

Jaken paused to catch his breath. Rin, at once, questioned him, "What happened? What happened?"

"Patience, my girl," Jaken said. "This was the time when Lord Sesshoumaru and I took part in the war, and when a certain miko sealed my Lord's half-brother to a tree." Kikyou balked slightly at the mention of Inuyasha and her sealing him to the tree after Naraku tricked them into hating each other. "Hisano of the Deer Clan was dead by this time, but his daughter Kikumo fought in his stead, and she proved to be a _youkai_ nearly as powerful as Lord Sesshoumaru, indeed. Her weapon, the _naginata_ called Hiroko Kama, or Magnanimous Sickle, which was made out of the antlers of her father, almost shook the lands from its fundaments. Furthermore, it could transform into a koto that weaves a powerful web of music around the enemy. Ah, I still remember what a grace, ferocity and beauty she was that time!

The war ended with the victory being on the Dog clan's side. Kikumo, as the Princess of the Deer Clan, ought to have succeeded Hisano as their prime leader, but she broke away from her clan and vanished from the Western Lands, taking the legendary Hiroko Kama with her. No tidings were ever heard of her again, and she was presumed dead, but her present appearance is enough to change all that."

"Why did she break away from the Deer Clan and forsake her position?" Kikyou asked of Jaken, but it was Sesshoumaru instead who spoke, after a long while of silence.

"That's enough, Jaken," Sesshoumaru said coldly. "Miko, you have too many questions. What matters now is that we have to be more on guard for Kikumo. Her purposes are veiled in secrets, and you have just received a taste of what she can do. Bear in mind that it was but a fragment of her true might. Now, all of you, we have to get back to our camp." He stood up and made his way back to their camp.

Kikyou also stood up, gently pushing Rin aside from her lap. Her _shinidamachuu_ left their posts among the trees and began to hover near her.

"Can't you let us inside what you so want to hide, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou called out to the Demon Lord. Jaken gasped to hear her address Sesshoumaru as though she were his equal. "I can sense it; you know a lot more about this Demoness than what you are showing." Once more, the image of Sesshoumaru gazing at Kikumo floated in her mind, and it was enough to turn her eyes misty with jealousy.

Sesshoumaru halted in his tracks, but he did not look back at her. He closed his amber eyes as he answered simply, "That is none of your business, miko." Having put an end to their conversation, he resumed his stance and carried on.

Behind him, Kikyou's face was lined with an expression of deep grief as her left hand formed a fist over her heart. 'Alas, you don't wish to reveal your thoughts, _taiyoukai_? Well, I will get them out of you myself!'

...o0o...

Kikumo, her silken robes billowing behind her, hurried into the dark chamber at the very heart of Naraku's castle. She had achieved so much from her spying, and she was ready to make her report to the evil _hanyou_.

"Well, my dear, what have you got for me?" Naraku's hissing voice said. He had his back facing the Demoness, and Kikumo could not see his face.

"It shall be easier than what we think it shall be," Kikumo replied, tightening her hold on the Hiroko Kama, whose blade flashed in the flickering candlelight. "Your Priestess is in the company of the Dog Traitor."

"Is that so? It is too easy...Very well; I just have the right plan for them." Naraku's lips curved upwards. His fist closed around the Shikon shard as a new plan formed in his mind, and he laughed out his malice. "Brace yourself, my dear, for your powers of charisma will be tested in your new mission..."

...o0o...

Hmmm, what does Naraku mean by Kikumo's 'powers of charisma'? And what is Sesshoumaru hiding from Kikyou? Stay tuned for Chapter Five! ;)


	6. Betrayal by the Sword

**Chapter Five: Betrayal by the Sword **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Beware, ultimate betrayal coming up! Also, there is a flashback scene that includes a really arrogant Sesshoumaru... Kikyou is off to discover a secret that will change her viewpoint of Sesshoumaru forever! Am... I guess I couldn't make the fic go with the flow of the anime. The story just wouldn't fit in with the episodes!

...o0o...

Kikyou waded into the waist deep water of a nearby river to cleanse herself while she sought to clear her mind of confusion. Her kimono stuck to her flesh like a second layer of skin, and the autumn air made the flowing water rather chilly, but the priestess did not mind. She had been in the company of Sesshoumaru for over a week now, and she had gotten used their ways and adapted to them. They had not sensed any presence of Naraku, or even the Demoness Kikumo, and Kikyou was somehow as troubled about it as she was relieved. The sudden dormancy of their enemies is something peculiar to the miko, but if it troubled Sesshoumaru, he did not show it.

Sesshoumaru. Kikyou gave a sharp shake of her head and submerged underneath the cold water and removed the grime that had stuck to her raven locks. When she appeared once more on the water's surface, she made for one of the large boulders scattered around the steely river. Setting herself on it, she let the water drip from her long hair as she sat down and faced the sapphire sky.

She was abhorred at having to let her feelings slip from her so easily. After having let out her misery at Sesshoumaru's remoteness, all that it earned her was an even more distant attitude from the _taiyoukai_. Even Rin, as small as she was, could sense a difference had come over the raven-haired miko. She had matched Sesshoumaru's coldness with her own stony indifference, speaking to him only when the need was there, even at times finding alibis to avoid him. Gradually, the little jealousy that had formed in her heart began to fade away until but a shadow of it remained.

Why did she feel that odd jealousy anyway? She did not even like the Demon Lord... or did she?

"Kikyou, what a waste of time," the Priestess scolded herself. "Have you not learned what this thing called love takes you to? Was death not enough to make you learn? He's the half-brother of Inuyasha..." She thought of Inuyasha, and a deep frown creased her face. Many times, Kikyou had come close enough to the half-demon to kill him, but alas, her miko powers just won't allow themselves to be harnessed. She had loved him once, and though her heart was marred by the hate planted by Naraku, death was not enough to make her forget that.

Running a finger over her still damp hair, Kikyou recalled what brief happiness Inuyasha gave her, as well as pain. He had eased her loneliness of being the Guardian of the Shikon no Tama at least a bit, and she had never felt so overjoyed in her life, but that joy was short-lived. Naraku had erased all of her bliss, and she hated him for that.

Kikyou sighed, and she descended from the rock and waded once more in the water to get to its bank. When will she feel that happiness again? Or had all the delight vanished when she lost her love for Inuyasha? Was he the only person who could ever give her such lighthearted feeling? But now, all that he gave her was pain and hurt... And she was tired, too tired to search for the giver of happiness that her heart had been longing for. She had become content to being a solitary one. At least in being alone, no one could hurt her...

Once more, Sesshoumaru's face fluttered in her mind; a new understanding came to her, and she smiled, for the first time that week. 'It seems I am not the only loner in this world, who chose to be isolated from its aches and joys. And strangely, though I can see some traits of Inuyasha in him, it does not repulse me.' She giggled, and said to herself, "And he is certainly much more mature than his little brother."

Calling on a strong wind, Kikyou allowed the wind to drive away the dampness from her clothes, hair and skin. Taking her white ribbon which she had hung on a tree, she tied her hair back and made her way back to their camp.

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru watched numbly as Rin played a game with Jaken. As he sat with his back against a tree as he had done a million times before, the child had made his retainer wear a blindfold over his eyes and he ought to find her around without using his eyes. They had been playing for a long while now, and still the toad demon could not fathom where Rin had inserted herself into. Unknown to him, the little girl was simply following him around and would occasionally give him a poke and prod to annoy him.

'Rin does know how to annoy Jaken,' Sesshoumaru thought amusedly to himself, though his face was emotionless. His ears twitched to hear the footsteps of the miko nearby, and he closed his amber eyes and turned away so as not to see her face. Why ever is he feeling so uneasy around her? Kikyou had made herself scarce around him, and though he was relieved that she had done so, a small part of him wished that she'd be near. Somehow, he felt certain contentment inside him if she was around.

Sesshoumaru had spent most of his life wandering, and he certainly knew many places that no human feet had ever trod. Forgotten or unseen edens, which would have cast awe in human eyes were to him just another place. The fascination for new things had long died within the Demon Lord, and he felt as though even if he went around the world and back again, he will still remain unsatisfied and unhappy. Something was clearly missing, and all his travels had not led him to that piece he was searching for.

The _taiyoukai_ gradually opened his eyes and was surprised to see the miko laughing merrily as Jaken finally got a hold of one of Rin's feet as when he, by chance, tripped over yet another tree root. Rin was laughing, too, even if she finally got caught. She kept on insisting that she should now blindfold herself and find Jaken, but the toady demon was already tired, and he collapsed against a rock stuck beneath the roots of a nearby tree. Kikyou then offered to play in Jaken's stead, and a wide smile was seen on Rin's face as they started the game all over again.

'She's smiling again,' Sesshoumaru could not help thinking upon seeing Kikyou blindfolded and on all fours, feeling the ground and her surroundings to find Rin. He remembered the deep chasm that had opened between them when the Demoness made her appearance. 'She seems to have set behind her our little disagreement about Kikumo...' His eyes then gave a little flicker. 'Kikumo...'

Sesshoumaru gradually turned his head to face the western side of the sky. What Jaken had said was true; she had fought alongside them fifty years ago, and even he had to admit she was as beautiful as she was powerful. But when she appeared to them more than a week ago, Kikumo was but a shadow of what she once was. She was still powerful and the beauty of her face was unchanged, no doubt about that. But her gentle kindness had gone, and sultry hate had replaced it. The peaceful glow of her emerald eyes was overwhelmed by the shadowy darkness that had enveloped her.

The _taiyoukai_ was driven off his musings by the activity of his companions. Kikyou had managed to corner Rin against a tree trunk, and the child tried to evade capture by running, but she could hardly contain her giggles that the Priestess had no trouble catching her in her arms. Rin then removed the cloth from her eyes and tightly embraced Kikyou, who smiled so sweetly that Sesshoumaru was taken aback. Memories flooded inside him. He only knew of one other person who could smile like that...and he had foolishly ignored that smile when it was first given to him.

The Demon Lord suddenly felt himself missing Kikumo when she was still the peaceful Deer Demon he knew back in the Western Lands, and he was secretly upset because of Kikumo's abhorrence of him. And Sesshoumaru just knew why, why she had become the dark demon that she was now.

It was he who caused her sorrow.

...o0o...

Evening had fallen, and the little band of demons and humans quickly made camp in the failing light. Sesshoumaru had led his companions further upstream, and this time they camped beside the river. Rin had at once entered the chilling waters and searched for probable fish that might be around in the autumn. Her efforts did not prove in vain, for two small fish darted by and Rin deftly caught them with her hands.

The fish were still wriggling when Rin excitedly brought them to her companions. "Priestess Kikyou, Priestess Kikyou, I caught our food!" Kikyou immediately came to assist Rin, and the priestess managed to get hold of one of the fish when it slipped its way out of Rin's grasp in an attempt to get back to the water.

"Poke your finger in its gills; it will stop wriggling," Rin instructed Kikyou. When Kikyou just stood there stupefied, Rin did the task for her, and Kikyou laughingly apologized for not knowing what to do. She admired the child's deftness at fishing. Even Kikyou had to ask for assistance from her town's fishermen in the past if her sister Kaede wanted fish for their supper.

The fish having stopped struggling, Kikyou then inserted a clean stick through each of the fish's mouths and she began to roast them over the little fire that Jaken had made. Rin then stood up and went into the forest saying that she will go find some mushrooms that would go well with the fish; there ought to be some in the woods.

"Okay, but don't go too far," Kikyou called after the child, and she concentrated on cooking their supper. She smiled when she recalled an incident in her past life when she and Kaede burned up the fish they were roasting. For all her supernatural powers, the miko was not the greatest homemaker in the world.

Sesshoumaru had been watching them throughout the time, and he could not help but recall the first time he met Rin. She had left him the exact same food of roasted fish and mushrooms after she saw him lying in the forest, quite hurt and wounded. He had shunned her hospitality due to his aloof persona, but Rin did not mind being abused by her townspeople just to keep the demon alive. Touched he was that he brought her to life after seeing that she had been killed by wolves. It was only a test, Sesshoumaru wanted others to know, but he knew the little girl had already won his fondness.

Rin soon came back with her hands full of the little brown mushrooms. By this time, their supper was already cooked, and the two humans had their meal. Kikyou had known that Sesshoumaru would not take any of the food they offered him, nor would his retainer accept what his master rejected. It was a shame, because Kikyou felt that in eating together, their little group would somehow develop some ties.

The Demon Lord eyed Kikyou for a long while. The mood of humans is a mystery, indeed. One moment, you see them crying, and then at the blink of an eye, they are laughing. Whatever made the Priestess unusually happy? Well, at least she's not badgering Sesshoumaru with her questions about Kikumo...

As the night deepened, Kikyou finally tucked Rin inside her sleeping bag, saying good night as a doting mother would have. Rin had a contented grin on her face as she dove into a deep slumber. Kikyou then spared one last look at the ever so vigilant figure of Sesshoumaru nearby before she lay down on the soft grass under a tree and went to sleep. She had been sleepless for the past nights, and only now, when she had found a thought to make her glad, is her mind temporarily at peace.

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru's senses immediately picked up the familiar tones of the koto strings when they came by at about midnight. 'She is here,' he thought and casting a glance at the sleeping figures of his companions; even Jaken was asleep, snoring loudly with saliva drooling from his open mouth. Sesshoumaru stood up and in evenly measured steps, went into the dark forest which was silenced by the music of the Deer Demon.

...o0o...

Kikyou was awakened by the strong aura. She was a light sleeper, as it should be for a Guardian of the Shikon Jewel, in order to stay alert for any skulking demons that might come to steal the Jewel. She heard the plucking of koto strings, and she the thought that the Demoness was near was enough to make her sit up.

She searched her surroundings for Sesshoumaru, but she could not see him, at least by her naked eyes. She still felt his energy nearby. He probably set out to confront the other _youkai_, and at once Kikyou armed herself with her bow and arrows and left the camp as well. If he was going to duel with Kikumo, she would not let Sesshoumaru fight alone.

Kikyou swiftly passed beneath the unmoving branches of the trees, and in time she caught sight of the figures of the two _youkai_ near a very large pine. She had a very good view of Kikumo, was sitting on one of the main branches of the tree, her fingers on her koto, which was delicately balanced on a scattering of smaller limbs. Her hair was set loose from its plaits, and it reached longer than Kikyou had imagined, almost hiding her sandaled feet beneath their soft strands. Sesshoumaru was standing several feet from the tree's roots, his back facing Kikyou's direction. His gaze was locked on the figure of the Demoness, apparently not noticing Kikyou's presence.

They were both silent, and Kikyou dared to step closer before her hands felt the invisible barrier wound around them. Something flickered in Kikumo's deep green eyes when her fingers touched the shield and was repelled, as though by some electric shock. She knew of the Priestess' arrival, and had prepared for it. Kikyou knew at once that Kikumo has something evil up on her earth-colored sleeves.

"Sesshoumaru, she's trying to trap you in her barrier!" Kikyou shouted, but Sesshoumaru appeared not to hear her. He was still standing there, as though in a trance. "Sesshoumaru!"

As though to answer her, she heard Kikumo's voice reverberate inside her head, saying, "Did you not see that the shield I cast around us prevents him from having communication from the outside? He cannot see you; he cannot hear you."

With a cry, Kikyou whipped out one of her purity arrows and shot it at the shield, only to be deflected in turn. Kikumo's laugh rang in her mind as she pounded at the barrier with her fists, and she called out Sesshoumaru's name, but she knew her efforts were in vain. It made her angry to have her miko powers come of no use in such a difficult situation.

"Kikumo!" She shouted her name in anger at the top of her lungs, before she crumpled on her knees hopelessly beside the barrier.

"I suggest that you simply listen and enjoy yourself," Kikumo's mocking voice echoed, and Kikyou's eyes flamed with rage as her hands clutched tightly at her red miko's pants.

'Sesshoumaru, fight her!' Kikyou thought desperately in her mind as she stood up once more and fixed an arrow on her bow and stood ready for any assault that might come.

...o0o...

Inside Kikumo's deadly barrier, Sesshoumaru remained oblivious to Kikyou's pleas from the outside or even to her aura. All that he saw was Kikumo, who was looking at him with an unreadable expression in her emerald eyes.

"I have been thinking about the past, Kikumo," he said, not breaking their eye contact.

"So have I," she replied quietly, her fingers plucking a new melody in her koto. Compared to the somber previous one, the new tone was gentle to the ears and sweet. "Do you still remember this music?"

Sesshoumaru silently listened to the melody before he remembered. "That...the day after the war...the day I gave you..."

Kikumo's eyes hardened and she said, "And do you still remember what harsh words you gave me?"

The other _youkai_'s expression remained the same as he said simply, "I remember." And the memories seemed to replay themselves before his eyes.

...o0o...

Outside the barrier, Kikyou felt as though the world around her had begun to spin in a whirl of color. Everything became a mass of mixed shapes before they began to reshape themselves again. She was no longer in the forest; she was sitting in a sunlit garden of unearthly beauty, where the trees grew in perfect symmetry and the flowers gave off a lovely fragrance. The grass beneath her feet seemed to be made of the finest threads, and they danced in the direction of the light breeze that blew among the trees. Kikyou took in the beauty of her surroundings before thinking, 'Is this yet another of Kikumo's spiteful tricks?'

Then she realized that her hands were playing a familiar ebony black koto that had silver strings. Wait a minute... she never learned how to play the instrument, and what are those snakelike markings on her arms? It took Kikyou a while to realize that she was seeing things happening from Kikumo's eyes, and she detested the discovery until her vision caught sight of a familiar figure approaching. Those silvery hair, those amber eyes, the mark of the crescent moon... Why, isn't this...Sesshoumaru?

Kikyou felt the muscles of her cheeks, or more accurately, Kikumo's cheek, form a truly sincere smile upon seeing the Demon Lord. Kikyou stared at the _taiyoukai_, and though his face was deceptively unchanged, the arrogant aura surrounding him was so thick that she could almost touch it. His eyes were much, much colder than the coldest stare Kikyou had yet to see with her own eyes.

"So, what is it that you want to talk about?" Sesshoumaru impatiently asked of Kikumo, his arms ('Arms?' Kikyou thought. 'This probably happened before Inuyasha hacked off one of them!') folding over his armored chest.

Kikyou felt the Deer Demon's heart thump painfully against her rib cage. The priestess suddenly felt some strange feeling radiating from the Demoness...she was nervous, apparently, and then, Kikyou read in Kikumo's heart a longing, a kind of yearning.

"I am glad the war had ended with your family earning the victory," Kikyou heard herself in Kikumo's voice say.

Sesshoumaru gave a snort and said, "We would have earned the victory even if your silly instrument did not aid us. I never knew your clan could actually wield weapons."

Kikyou felt a twinge of hurt stab at her heart. It must be Kikumo's hurt.

"Well, we do have to defend ourselves sometimes..." Kikumo said. "We do more than grow herbs and gardens, as what other _youkai_ think."

"Whatever," Sesshoumaru said, snorting once more. "But if you called me here to listen to that music of yours, well, I am going. I have heard enough of it in yesterday's war."

"No!" Kikumo said, and Kikyou felt her heart thumping so wildly that it hurt. Her hands left the koto as she stood up and approached Sesshoumaru. Kikyou felt herself looking eagerly up at Sesshoumaru's face. Thanks to Kikumo, she had at last seen the demon's face up close, and she could almost count his eyelashes. Sesshoumaru's expression, however, disturbed Kikyou. It was all cold; not a trace of warmth could be found.

Kikumo, herself, was rather frightened by this, and her voice was shaking as she said, "Sesshoumaru, I...I have to gather most of my courage to say this, but...please listen to me. I..."

"Stop wasting my time and get to the point," Sesshoumaru said, staring down at her with irritated eyes.

Kikumo took one deep breath before saying, "I love you, Sesshoumaru."

Kikyou could hardly believe what Kikumo just said. Sure, this Kikumo was certainly very different from the dark demoness she knew, and so was Sesshoumaru. This was what they once were.

Sesshoumaru looked at Kikumo before letting out a sarcastic laugh. "You have only known me yesterday and you already love me?"

"I know it might seem unusual, but please, try to understand," Kikumo pleaded. Whatever courage that had enabled her to speak had vanished, and her fear nearly paralyzed her. "It's a very complicated feeling...but I know it's there. I love you."

At this, Sesshoumaru turned in disgust and when Kikumo tried to place a hand on his shoulder, he only swatted her away, his clawed fingers narrowly missing her face.

"For a _youkai_ as powerful as you, you are incredibly emotional," Sesshoumaru said with deep revulsion. "Love is a thing of humans, and we are of a more powerful race. And besides, you are a threat to my power."

"A threat?" Kikumo repeated dumbly, her heart having been repeatedly stabbed by his words.

Sesshoumaru flexed his long fingers and said, "Your power rivals mine too much. The game of this world speaks of the struggle of the fittest, and I might have to put an end to your existence in order to ensure my claim for the Western Lands." He then walked away from the stunned and hurt figure of the Demoness.

"You would...do that?"

"I would have done that to anyone who stands on my way."

His last words were the final blow. Kikyou felt Kikumo collapse to her knees, and tears were flowing freely from her eyes before Kikyou was jolted back to the present, the shock of what she had just seen making her fall on her knees as well beside the barrier. The dark forest was once more around her, and she focused her attention on the two _youkai_.

Kikumo's pain...she had been hurt in the past...and now she was searching for revenge. The Priestess trembled when she finally saw a stunning similarity between her and the Demoness. And seeing Sesshoumaru in such an arrogant pride made her look at him differently. What Rin told her as a kind and caring master seemed so far away...

"Those words, I regretted, Kikumo," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "My wanderings had taught me that there are other things than such power."

"If you found that out," Kikumo replied, folding her hands on her lap, her eyes becoming lost in the shadow of her hair, "you found it out too late. You have forever marred my heart. I left the Western Lands that very day, and I forsook my title as the Princess of the Deer clan finding out that I could not tolerate your face any longer. I wandered this world, too, Sesshoumaru. However, for every new place I find, the pain still stabs at me."

"Is there not a way to heal your heart?" Sesshoumaru asked, taking a step closer to the tree. Kikyou could see that his face was no longer neutral. It expressed genuine concern. "The image of you crying had haunted my dreams, and it was only now that I realized that I...I love you too."

At the pulse of his words, Kikyou's eyes widened. What Sesshoumaru came as a total surprise for her, and so it was with Kikumo, who gradually met his gaze and for a moment, lost all the hatred in her eyes, and for a brief moment looked like the gentle demon that Kikyou came in contact with in the flashback. But Kikumo's eyes resumed their cold glaze quickly, and she said, "You said it too late, Sesshoumaru."

Her hands touched the koto, and at her touch the instrument seemed to shimmer and change its form, and in its stead was the Hiroko Kama, its ebony handle dark and unyielding, its blade shining dangerously in the full moon. She, grabbing hold of the _naginata_, then leaped off the tree and broke off into the forest in a run.

"Kikumo!" Sesshoumaru took after her and Kikyou felt the shield gradually disappearing. When the last traces of the barrier had left, the Priestess took her bow and arrows and ran after the two demons, using only their aura as her tracking device. In time, they came to the end of the forest, out into a clearing that ended in a deep cliff and rocky ravine. The moon was full, and its light was enough to let Kikyou see from behind a tree Sesshoumaru and Kikumo.

The _taiyoukai_ had caught up with the Demoness, and he had tried to contain her in his one-armed embrace, but she wriggled free from him easily and she pointed the blade of her weapon in his direction.

"Don't you dare cause me more hurt, Sesshoumaru," Kikumo had said. "Is it not enough that you broke my heart fifty years ago?"

"I am not going to hurt you, Kikumo," Sesshoumaru replied slowly. "But what I feel is true; I love you."

"You once said that love is a thing for the low-minded humans. Have you gone against your own principles?"

"Give me one more chance, Kikumo. I was different then, and I was wrong to judge you harshly."

Behind the tree, Kikyou's heart was wrenching in pain. Just when she thought she had let go of her jealousy, it went back to her again twice as much. Kikyou could only wish that she would understand why she was feeling this way...why a tear was trickling from one of her eyes to see him with a woman he loves more than her...why she would give anything just to be in Kikumo's stead that very moment...

Kikumo locked her gaze with Sesshoumaru and said, "I want to hear it from you again. Did you say that you love me?"

Kikyou bit her lips to keep her intense emotions inside as she pressed her hands over her ears, hoping to keep out whatever Sesshoumaru had to say. 'Why are you being tormented by his words?' Kikyou scolded herself. 'You don't love him...but why are you being tormented to hear him say those three simple words to that rotten Demoness?'

"Kikumo..." Sesshoumaru said, and with a very sincere look in his eyes, he said, "I love you."

At these words, Kikumo lowered her blade and she slowly went towards the other demon. Her emerald eyes met his amber ones and they gently closed as she neared her face to him. Sesshoumaru, himself, closed his golden orbs as their lips neared each other. Kikyou wanted to close her eyes as well and shut out the scene, but her eyes remained stubbornly open. But what she saw made her heart miss a beat. Kikumo's hand that was not clutching the Hiroko Kama was slowly making it way to the Tenseiga's hilt.

Kikyou finally realized what Kikumo was after. She can't allow her to betray Sesshoumaru!

Kikyou tried to scream a warning at Sesshoumaru as she launched one of her arrows, but Kikumo was quicker. With the abrupt opening of her green eyes, Kikyou felt as though the earth beneath her feet lurched and threw her backwards. The scream that erupted from Kikyou's throat was enough to send Sesshoumaru's eyes to her direction, but it was too late.

In one quick fluid motion of her hand, Kikumo had whipped the Healing Fang from Sesshoumaru's waist, and in one graceful leap, she stood at the edge of the gaping cliff. Sesshoumaru shifted his glances from the struggling form of Kikyou to the menacing figure of Kikumo silhouetted against the moon. A wind had begun to blow, and her long fawn tresses danced in rhythm with the wind, making shadows in the moonlight. His mouth fell open to see that she was clutching one of his swords.

"Why...why..."

"Why what, Sesshoumaru?" Kikumo sneered, pointing the Hiroko Kama at him. "You are a fool, _taiyoukai_. Do you think I'll love you after what you have done to me? I am pleased to have hoodwinked you, Lord of the Western Lands. So, you have a weakness after all, _my love?_"

Kikyou had recovered her posture and fired an arrow at Kikumo, but she swatted it aside with her _naginata_. Grunting, the Priestess drew out another arrow, but she was unable to fire, too lost for words.

Sesshoumaru's eyes had taken on the color of fire, and his talons seemed to glow a poisonous green as his whip was drawn out of his fingers. He launched himself in the air and sent the whip at the other demon, but Kikumo had at once transformed into her deer form and leaped down the ravine. Sesshoumaru dropped down on the cliff's edge and he sought her, but Kikumo had vanished.

Kikyou rushed to his side with an arrow ready, but her target was no longer in the ravine. Her hands were trembling with anger, and so was her voice. She could only feel anger for the Demoness, after what she had done to Sesshoumaru.

Kikyou lowered her bow and looked at Sesshoumaru, saying, "We'll get Tenseiga back from her, Sesshoumaru. I promise you that."

But Sesshoumaru was not listening to her. Though his eyes had returned to their original amber color, no one can deny the extreme emotions imprinted in them. Betrayal, anger, hurt, shock... Kikyou was not sure which, but she could so well understand him. Though he had deemed the Tenseiga as useless, having only the ability to heal, it was for him a memory of his father, and he had kept it with him always. Kikyou knew that Kikumo had earned for herself a dangerous enemy, and the priestess said to herself, 'You will pay dearly for what you have done, Demoness.'

...o0o...

Dum, dum, dum...Trouble has really begun. Thank you, thank you, Syrith, for suggesting the moon backdrop for the final scene! Alas, I can't bear to torture Sesshie, but my plot has to go that way...please have mercy... I would have made Kikumo nicer, but she would become too much a rival for Kikyou over Sesshie and we don't want that to happen, right?


	7. The Gathering of Storm Clouds

**Chapter Six: The Gathering of Storm Clouds **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Okay, I guess I played too much with the characters, and I seemed to have made Kikyou into Kagome and Sesshoumaru into Inuyasha (oh dear, Fluffy will kill me!), but that's for the sake of the preceding chapters, and I purposely made them look like that. ANYWAY, back to normal, and I guess I would have to make Sesshie and Kikyou have a little misunderstanding again... ;)

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru stood there for a couple of minutes, and so did Kikyou, who was watching him closely. She had backed away from him slightly, knowing that he might not wish to have her company for the time being. Gradually, all the emotions in his eyes were erased, and sheer coldness replaced them once more. He regained his composure and stood up to his full height. With a flip of his platinum hair, he turned with the grace befitting a youkai of his rank and wordlessly left the scene, disappearing among the scene and not even glancing back at Kikyou who stayed in the clearing for a few moments longer.

"Hmm..." Kikyou muttered to herself, stepping once more onto the rough rocks lining the edge of the ravine and carefully scanning the barren scene below, reflecting deeply on what had just come to pass. "And so it happens. She has but forever broken the fragile thread of trust that had momentarily formed between them. Foolish one; she does not know what enemy she had just acquired for herself."

A breeze fluttered through her hair and she closed her eyes to calm her troubled spirits as well as to feel the cold sting of the late autumn breeze. Winter is due in a few weeks, she knew. One of her Soul-snatching Demons appeared out of nowhere and went up to her. Kikyou let it gently claw at her hand in a gesture of faithfulness before she held it up to meet her eyes. The _shinidamachuu_ looked intently at its mistress.

"It seems I have to step carefully around him again," she told her pet. She looked at the figure of the moon once more; it had already begun to sink in the horizon. "I must not forget that he's a Demon Lord, the way he must not fail to remember that I am a miko."

The lone _shinidamachuu_ let go of its gentle grasp on the Priestess' hand and it lazily floated up at the night sky and vanished. Kikyou sighed, and she quietly turned her back on the ravine and slowly made her way back to her companions.

...o0o...

When Kikyou arrived beside the river, she caught sight of Sesshoumaru where she remembered him to be before she fell asleep. He was staring emptily at the cold flowing waters of the river, and though Kikyou knew that he was aware of her presence, he did not pay any particular attention to her.

Sighing once more, she walked around the sleeping figure of Rin, stopping to stroke the dark hair of the little girl before she continued to her spot underneath the tree. Lying down once more, she positioned herself so as to not face the figure of Sesshoumaru, and slowly drifted into an uneasy sleep.

'I made my face fall in front of that Demoness,' she thought in her dreams, her pride hurt by having to show weakness to her enemy. Inside her heart, a new iron will began to form. 'I will never let that happen again.'

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru temporarily shifted his line of sight from the river to the sleeping figure of Kikyou, who had her back facing him. It was certainly a great blow to his ego when he found out what Kikumo was after and he allowed himself to be laid defenseless to the wily tricks of a woman, and an even greater blow to see that he had a witness to his foolish act: that obstinate, mysterious miko.

He had meant his words to Kikumo; he had really loved her, but what he couldn't understand was why she had to betray him in turn. Sesshoumaru recalled how close she came to him, how she neared her face to his...and how her hand deftly took the Tenseiga from his waist in a single motion. And to see that Kikyou was there among the trees...

Sesshoumaru involuntarily made a fist out of his remaining hand, his talons pressing against his skin. He detested creatures that hide a dark purpose beneath their actions, including that cowardly bastard Naraku who once gave him a human arm only to have him almost consumed by it, but he was even more wary of those who had seen him let out his weaknesses. Kikyou was just a perfect example of that person.

To top it all up, he knew that his own half-brother constantly battles the same problem he had just encountered: of betrayal and confusion with his love life. What had entered his mind to follow the foolish examples of his hanyou brother?

'She had seen me; she had seen it all,' Sesshoumaru heatedly thought. 'Why does she have to follow my footsteps wherever they go?'

Unknown to any soul, he secretly liked Kikyou thanks to Rin, who would not let one moment pass without reminding him in one way or another of the admirable traits of the Priestess. But since Kikumo appeared, he couldn't get the Deer _youkai_ out of mind, for he had housed long-term feelings for her. But alas, in just one night under the full moon, all those feelings were nearly completely obliterated in a second.

If he now distrusted Kikumo and hated her as much as he hated Naraku, his claws are itching constantly to be put around the miko's throat. Sesshoumaru was angry - no, infuriated - at Kikyou, and it was all because she had seen what she should not have seen.

'I will never let her nudge her arrows at my business again,' he thought, and instantly diverted his gaze from her form.

He fingered the hilt of his remaining sword, the Toukijin, and he felt strange to not have the Tenseiga near him. Sesshoumaru knew that without the protection of his father's reminder, he was vulnerable to the attacks of his half-brother, and the sword could also counsel him in some way. Somehow, the Healing Fang was of use to him, even if it was not his desired sword: the Tessaiga, which was in the keeping of his younger brother. He recalled what the miko said earlier, 'We'll get Tenseiga back from her, Sesshoumaru. I promise you that.'

_We?_ Sesshoumaru snorted. He was better off without her, and he would recover his father's legacy and slit Kikumo's and Naraku's cheating throats on his own, and with his own bare claws if necessary. On his own.

...o0o...

When morning came, Kikyou felt like she hadn't slept at all. Normally she would wake earlier than Rin and Jaken, but now Rin had to gently nudge her to waken the Priestess. The child's urgent tone was like a rooster's morning call to Kikyou, forcing her to fight the strong grasps of sleep.

"Kikyou-sama, wake up!" Rin said, repeatedly pulling at Kikyou's blouse. "Sesshoumaru-sama wants us to leave early!"

Kikyou sleepily opened one of her eyes. Sesshoumaru insisted on leaving early? Groggily, she raised herself from her lying position, but her senses were immediately wakened by Sesshoumaru's unfeeling tone behind her.

"Get up, miko," he ordered with an edge of severity that he had never done before. "We are about to leave."

At this, Kikyou twisted her torso to face the cold face of the _taiyoukai_. He was standing beside her, his tall form casting a shadow over her smaller form in the early morning light. The Priestess noted that his fist was tightly clenched, and she worried that his talons had dug deep enough in his flesh to draw blood.

"Why this early?" Kikyou asked, looking up at the unreadable amber orbs that looked down at her. She frowned slightly, for his gaze reminded her of the extremely arrogant Demon Lord she saw through Kikumo's eyes.

"And are you to complain?" Sesshoumaru asked in return, in a flat tone. "I decide when and where we will go, and you only have to obey." Not waiting for her to answer, he abruptly turned on his heels and ventured into the forest with Jaken following.

Rin then began to pull at Kikyou's arm, saying, "Hurry, Priestess Kikyou, we'll get left behind!"

Kikyou uncertainly stood up and retrieved her weapons. She helped Rin mount Ah-Un and they followed the retreating figure of Sesshoumaru in silence. Something had really snapped inside the Demon Lord; Kikyou felt something different in his aura. Kikumo had indeed done a wonderful job at changing the way they view each other. Sesshoumaru had become colder, and Kikyou more pensive. She let herself be dragged along by the impatient Rin, who was looking up at the miko with concerned eyes.

"What's wrong, Kikyou-sama?" the little girl asked in a small voice, expressing worry at the miko's silence.

"Oh, nothing really, Rin," Kikyou said and she smiled a little to somehow assure the other girl. She had let Rin hold on to her hand as they journeyed, and she gave the smaller hand an affectionate squeeze.

"Something's bothering Sesshoumaru-sama, too," Rin narrated sadly, locking her chocolate-brown eyes with Kikyou's mahogany orbs. "Jaken was asking why he hasn't his other sword, but he wouldn't answer us. He just kept saying he will recover it soon. I don't understand it, Kikyou-sama."

"I don't think I do, too, Rin," Kikyou said, patting Rin's arm affectionately. "I don't think I do."

Kikyou's eyes were drawn to shining glory of Sesshoumaru's long platinum locks, and she thought, 'If he's extremely bothered about the loss of his Tenseiga, he does not let it show.' She blinked and bowed her head slightly. 'Things might have been different if I had not seen him with Kikumo, but that was the way it has to be.'

...o0o...

"The Priestess looks extremely gloomy, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken whispered loud enough for Sesshoumaru to hear, noticing that the Undead Miko was unusually silent around Rin.

"She has always been gloomy and pain since she was resurrected," Sesshoumaru replied tartly. "Her mood does not make any difference to me."

"You do have a point, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken said uncertainly, and he spoke no more. Worried he was because the Tenseiga was not in Sesshoumaru's grasp, Jaken did not bother to try to converse the greater demon. His Lord was in a sour mood, and he knew irrelevant talk is enough to further irritate the _taiyoukai_.

Sesshoumaru grunted and stared at the forest beyond. Most of the trees are evergreens that don't lose their leaves in winter, but the several deciduous trees they passed had already lost most of their leaves, leaving a blanket of dried husks of red, orange and brown at their roots. The coming of the cold season won't deter him from fulfilling his purposes, however.

His amber eyes narrowed slightly before he turned his head to glance at Rin and Kikyou and back again. If he had his way, he wouldn't have made Rin waken the Priestess from her slumber and simply left her behind, but something inside him chose otherwise. In leaving Kikyou behind, he would betray her, but Sesshoumaru knew that one betrayal in one night was enough, and his mind, still functioning amidst his shattered heart, just wouldn't allow him to follow the example of his past love.

Unconsciously, his hand strayed to the red handle of the Toukijin. The sooner they get rid of Kikumo and Naraku, the better...he'd be free of Kikyou too. Just then, a thought snapped in his mind that made him almost halt in his tracks. Kikumo and Naraku. Is it possible that they are in league of one another? If that is the case, then it would not be an easy task, indeed. Kikumo to disable him of his protection of the Sword of Life, and then to lay him bare to Naraku... An interesting possibility; a well-planned scheme. The Demoness would stop at nothing to earn her revenge.

His thoughts then diverted to Kikyou. If Naraku found out that his hated Priestess was in his company, he would draw the _hanyou_'s attention to himself as well. Well, he shook the thought away, for those were one of the points he considered before letting Kikyou into his group. He was eager to take the risk; besides, it might make the finding of Naraku easier...

Kikyou. Sesshoumaru's eyes flitted once more to the miko's direction, quietly observing her interaction with Rin. As usual, the child was doing the talking, but Kikyou appeared to be only half-listening. She had a far-off look in her eyes, as though pondering on something. Was she thinking about last night's events as well? Jaken was right; though Sesshoumaru was correct in his claim that Kikyou was never really happy at being resurrected, she looked a lot sadder than usual. Sesshoumaru did not fail to notice her silent grieving, and he was perturbed about it amidst his anger for the Priestess

'If that is so, she seems as upset as I am,' he thought. 'But why?'

...o0o...

The day was a silent one for Sesshoumaru's company. They had reached a hilly stretch of the land, and the ground was not as even as it was back in the plains, coming constantly into dips and rises.

Both Kikyou and Sesshoumaru refused to let out their thoughts, thus Jaken and Rin were confusedly conferring with one another about what transpired between the miko and the _taiyoukai_. Jaken was even having the wild idea that Kikyou stole the Tenseiga and disposed of it, but Rin vigorously defended the Priestess. But they earned nothing from their arguments, and they had to go to bed with all the 'whys' still buzzing around their mind.

Kikyou, however, did not sleep. She sat underneath a tree with her knees folded against her chest, her chin resting on her knees as her arms wrapped securely around her legs. Nearby, Sesshoumaru was puzzled at her odd behavior, but he did not comment on it. He was content to look up at the few stars that peeped in from the bare canopy of the tree he sat under. The forest had thinned around them, and soon they might open up to another grassy land again.

To his surprise, he found out that someone was sitting beside him. He turned to see that Kikyou had left her spot and had moved closer to him. Sesshoumaru once more felt uneasiness at her presence, and though he did not inch away from the miko, he made it a point to avoid her gaze. His secret liking for the miko was warring with his anger for her, and he was afraid that his claws might move against his own will and go for her slender neck if his eyes met hers.

"I was thinking about last night, Sesshoumaru," Kikyou said quietly, also avoiding his gaze.

"I know," Sesshoumaru replied coldly. Though he did not mind Kikyou addressing him as her equal, he certainly was not ready to speak to her yet. He was still hovering in indecision and countless questions.

"I know how much pain you probably feel," Kikyou continued. "I am sorry it had to happen to you."

This statement added fuel to Sesshoumaru's flaming anger. He hated it when people express their sympathy for him, for in doing so they were indirectly reminding him of his failings.

"What do you care about my whereabouts?" Sesshoumaru countered, making a great effort to keep his anger at bay. "You have only known me for several weeks, miko, and don't go on saying that you understand me."

"You also said a variation of those words to Kikumo in the past," Kikyou replied, remembering the scene she witnessed in Kikumo's body.

Sesshoumaru turned to regard her furiously. How had she known?

"Kikumo showed me a vision of what transpired between you two after the war in the Western Lands," Kikyou said, answering his unasked question.

'Blast Kikumo for further shaming me,' Sesshoumaru cursed silently. His hand had formed into a fist again, and his own talons were causing him a slight pain due their digging into his palms.

"But you should not be troubled about that, Sesshoumaru. I can well see that you have changed somehow, and that you do have a caring side hidden somewhere inside you."

"Changed? A caring side?" the Demon Lord asked, laughing once in a bitter way. "You do not know what you're talking about, miko."

"You may deny that a thousand times like your brother would," Kikyou said sadly. Sesshoumaru felt his face becoming hot with annoyance at being compared with Inuyasha. No, he insisted, he and that _hanyou_ have nothing in common, save for perhaps a couple of their physiques. "But someday you will be able to overcome your pride and let your true heart guide you."

"If you're suggesting that I follow my half-brother's example, I will not hear of it."

"That's not precisely what I meant. I just want to let you know that arrogance is not the true way to set yourself free. Only in learning to love can we truly fly."

"Love? Miko, are you out of your mind? We get chained if we love, and the true taste of it is quite the opposite of what you just said."

"Perhaps yes, perhaps not," Kikyou replied, looking up at a bright star that had begun to shine overhead. "Do you think that you are the only person whose heart was broken? The only person who ever got betrayed? There are many living souls that have had their hearts broken many times, but still had the reason to carry on and love again."

"To love again, miko?" Sesshoumaru interrogated her testily. "I suggest that you look at yourself more closely before you say anything. You are the one who sealed my brother to a tree; you died and were resurrected; and now you are living a life rooted on your hatred for my brother and Naraku. How can you advise me to love again when you, yourself cannot do it?"

"Sesshoumaru," Kikyou replied steadily, shifting her gaze from the star to his amber eyes. "I have come to realize that I may be able to love again if I was given the chance, but fate just wouldn't relax its hold on me." She breathed in the cold night air deeply and closed her eyes before continuing. "And besides, I doubt if anyone could stand to love a being made of clay and bones like me." She would have wanted to use the word 'you' in place of the 'anyone', but she could not give herself away; not yet.

After a while of silence, she spoke up once again, asking, "Given the chance that Kikumo would return the Tenseiga to you and ask for forgiveness, would you give in to her and love her again?"

The last question was enough to drive Sesshoumaru mad. He had enough of the miko's uncomforting questions that further confused his already tangled sense of comprehension. Before he knew it, a wild snarl had erupted from his mouth, and his eyes had turned into an angry shade of red. He quickly maneuvered himself and he cornered Kikyou to the tree, his talons a mere inch from her neck.

"If you want to know the answer, I'll tell you," Sesshoumaru said between quick breaths as Kikyou looked at him with shock in her mahogany eyes. "Whatever I feel about her belongs to the past, and nothing more. You are but a burden to my shoulders, miko, and you saw my head being turned by her sly ways. Can't you see that I can no longer tolerate your sweet face knowing that you have seen me in my weakness?"

Sesshoumaru had drawn his face so close to her that she could feel his angry breath. Kikyou recoiled slightly at the furious blaze of his red eyes and his bared fangs. The two magenta marks at the sides of his face had become rough, jagged lines, making the _taiyoukai_ look extremely menacing. The Priestess felt the tips of his talons against her neck, making her skin tingle with fear, but amidst all that, she did not scream; she simply tried her best not to break her eye contact with Sesshoumaru's blazing ones and to not move a muscle.

Noticing that the Priestess was not resisting, Sesshoumaru began to gather his strength behind his hand and to end Kikyou's miserable life with his claws, but Kikyou's aggrieved voice held him back.

"I am sorry, Sesshoumaru," she said, twisting her head and looking away. Sesshoumaru could see that beads of tears are beginning to form around the edges of her eyes. "I am sorry for causing trouble in your part. I know that I have only been extra luggage in your eyes, and that if not for Rin, you would never have allowed me to come with you. But worry not, for I will not trouble you or Rin further. I will take leave of you at this very moment."

Sesshoumaru blinked, and at once, his reddened eyes returned to amber. The angry marks at the side of his face resumed their original form. He slowly withdrew his talons from Kikyou's neck and his arm fell to his side, as though energy had totally vanished from it. He could only stare at Kikyou with amazement in his intensely colored orbs. After he had done so, Kikyou once more looked at him, and though her eyes looked as though she was in the brink of tears, she smiled at Sesshoumaru, saying, "Thank you."

Wordlessly, she edged away from his stupefied figure. Unhurriedly, Kikyou slung her quiver across her back and collected her bow from where it lay among the tree's roots. She saw Rin asleep peacefully on her sleeping bag, and her heart ached, for she was fond of the little girl, and it was hard to leave her, but she had to go.

Having taken what little articles she had carried with her, she stood up and spared one last look at the Demon Lord. He had not moved; his eyes still wide open and facing the tree. Giving a soft sigh, she said, "Goodbye, Sesshoumaru. If it is in your will, please say goodbye to Rin for me. You are fortunate to have someone like her on your side."

Having said her final words, Kikyou turned and walked into the woods until the soft sound of her footfalls died out.

Sesshoumaru angrily planted his hand against the tree's trunk, his claws making deep marks in its rough bark. He mentally cursed himself for being so foolhardy. Could not anything turn out right? Gradually, he calmed down and removed his grasp from the tree. He stood up and stared at the pockets of the star-spangled sky that was spread among the bare branches.

'You should be exulting now that she had left,' he reasoned to himself, but he felt no relief at the Priestess' leaving. Rather, he felt his already broken heart further breaking into smaller pieces, stinging his soul. A part of his mind wished that what he was seeing was only a dream, but he knew that he was only fooling himself. Kikyou was gone; she had detached herself from him forever.

"Kikyou..."

Sesshoumaru found himself saying her name for the first time, and in his mind, her last smile had left an indelible mark, as simple it was. He had tried to kill her, yet she still managed to thank him for sparing her life. Kikyou was the first woman to have smiled at him since Kikumo.

The _taiyoukai_ sat down once more under the shade of the barren tree. He told himself that he was finally relieved of the stubborn miko, and that he would not have to bear her enthralling gaze again. But with her passing, the mental images of her that was in Sesshoumaru's mind seemed to become clearer, the graceful beauty of her soft features becoming more defined. He tried to think of his plans to regain his Tenseiga, but Kikyou's name was all that reverberated in his mind.

'So, this is your power, miko? Making other beings fall victims to their own madness over your voice and beautiful face that no one is capable of resisting...'

...o0o...

Kikyou stopped for a while. She had walked away from Sesshoumaru and his companions until his aura became but a faint trace in her senses.

'Jump with joy, Kikyou, for you no longer have to bear the presence of that cold taiyoukai,' Kikyou told herself, but she would not, could not, feel any happiness at not seeing Sesshoumaru again. She felt torn deep inside, and she tried to think of other things, of her past love, Inuyasha...of her mission to purify the Shikon jewel...but Sesshoumaru, his intoxicating name, refused to depart from her mind. The more she ran away from him, the more his handsome face tormented her mind; she could almost feel his eyes watching her.

'Is this a taste of your famed prowess, demon? You make hapless humans weak in the knees because of your charming features and allow their hopelessness to kill them for you...'

Her _shinidamachuu_ began to appear among the trees and began to circle the stationary figure Kikyou, who realized by then that she would soon need new souls for her clay body, and she gave a hidden command to her pets that they procure the souls she needed. At once, the Soul-snatching Demons drifted in separate directions to fulfill their mistress' wishes, and Kikyou, alone once more, went on her way.

But she was right in thinking that someone was watching her, for hidden among the trees a pair of watchful eyes followed the Priestess as she passed. Only, they were of deep green, and not of amber.

"Alone at last..." a hissing voice quietly muttered as pale hands ran its fingers over the cold handle of the Hiroko Kama.

...o0o...

Psst, this is not the end for Sesshy and Kiky! Kikyou's in danger, eh? What do you think will Sesshoumaru do? Have I tied a tight leash around my reader's necks? ;)


	8. The Coming of the First Snow

**Chapter Seven: The Coming of the First Snow **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** I know I got a little delayed. And I am already telling you guys, I might not be able to update regularly for the next two weeks because we're going on vacation. I hope you'll be patient. Anyway, I know we left Sesshy and Kiky rather upset last chapter, but don't worry, I will make it up! Beware, for there's a battle scene coming ahead!

...o0o...

When his companions woke up the next day, Sesshoumaru knew that he ought to brace himself for yet another question-packed day. Kikyou was gone; Jaken and Rin were not blind or naive to not notice it.

Understandably, when Rin awoke, she immediately searched for the Priestess. But she was nowhere to be seen.

"Priestess Kikyou? Priestess Kikyou, where are you?" the child called, getting out of her sleeping bag and looking behind some trees as though expecting the miko to come out of her hiding place.

"You won't find her there," Sesshoumaru said softly. Rin looked at her master's sitting form, surprised. The Demon Lord had his eyes closed, but his head was still held high.

"Please, Sesshoumaru-sama, where is Kikyou-sama?" the little girl asked meekly, approaching Sesshoumaru in little steps. Reaching the side of her master, Rin dropped to her knees and glanced up at Sesshoumaru with expectant eyes.

Sesshoumaru was silent for a few moments before he answered. Somehow, Rin's reaction might not be to his liking. Without opening his amber orbs or looking at the child, he said, "She had gone away."

The _taiyoukai_ was right in assuming that Rin won't like the last piece of news. Her young face immediately lost all traces of happiness, and her eyes were soon painted with shock and upset. Sesshoumaru still did not look at her. He knew that in the child's face, no matter how young, he will see an echo of Kikyou's expression the night before, and his willpower might crumble over the weight of emotions it gave him.

By this time, Jaken had also awakened, wiping the traces of drool from the corners of his mouth. He heard his master's unexpected statement, and even though he never really liked the Undead Priestess, it did not fail to give him surprise just as it did Rin.

"Why did she go, Lord Sesshoumaru?" his retainer asked, standing up and joining Rin on Sesshoumaru's side.

"For some reasons that are hers alone," Sesshoumaru replied in an even tone, devoid of all emotions. The Demon Lord then opened his golden eyes and stood up fluidly from the cold grass that had started to wither at the coming of winter. He scanned the steely grey skies and he knew they will experience the first bite of snow at least that day. For the sake of Rin, he knew they ought to search for some suitable shelter just in case the weather will be too much for her.

Wordlessly, he began resume his walking stance, thus signaling the others that a new day of journey awaited them. Jaken had at once stood up and untied Ah-Un from where he tethered him to a tree and called to Rin so she can mount the two-headed dragon, but she had stayed transfixed to her spot.

"Come on, Rin!" the little demon said irritatingly, and when she still did not move, Jaken went up to her and took her by the hand, half-dragging her towards Ah-Un. "We are more at an advantage if that Priestess is not with us!"

"But she was so nice to me..." Rin muttered as she slowly mounted Ah-Un with hardly a trace of energy.

Jaken grunted. "She gets goody-goody over children like you, but she becomes fierce towards demons."

"But with Sesshoumaru-sama..."

"Enough _buts_," Jaken cut her off immediately and he gently slapped Ah-Un's shank to make him stand and walk. "If you wish to see the miko, you are free to leave us as she had done, and follow her!"

Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder, and at once his retainer was silenced to see the cold stare. However, the coldness in his eyes flickered when he saw Rin, her head bowed slightly and her hand petting the dragon's scaly hide absentmindedly.

"She did not even say goodbye..." she whispered in such a pitiful tone that Sesshoumaru's steely heart slightly softened to realize how saddened Rin was at Kikyou's leaving.

"She would have said goodbye," Sesshoumaru told her. "But she was in a hurry." Having said a rough explanation, he turned and they walked the hilly forest once more. But Sesshoumaru's inner self was not in peace, betraying his calm and composed outer facade.

'Kikyou, I wonder what you're thinking of now,' he thought as a chilling breeze passed through his silken hair, leaving the silvery strands slightly dampened by their moisture. He dared not hope that the miko would want to cross her paths with his again, knowing her fragile emotions and intense pain. He had done nothing to alleviate that pain, or so as he thought. Rather, he had further deepened her wounds by his anger and his attempt to end her life.

But as he recalled the vivid images of her the previous night, though he smelled the fear that emanated from her, Sesshoumaru could not feel any anger radiating from the Priestess. As he sought to remember the look in her mahogany eyes, he saw no ill-feelings cloaking her orbs. Though there was a momentary expression of alarm and shock, never did she let out her temper or even fought back as she would to those who threatened her life. She would have used her miko powers to fight him, but she did not.

Did she do that because she felt that he was too powerful for her? Or is it the reverse? Or even...she couldn't bear to fight him? Sesshoumaru frowned slightly, for he knew that he had mistreated Kikyou, when she had never been anything but benevolent around him. Even though she was stubborn and determined, Sesshoumaru had grown to like those traits of hers, for he knew that deep inside, he carried the same traits.

'Why do I have to repeat to her what I have done to Kikumo?' he thought. 'Why do I have to keep on driving away those who would have filled in the piece missing from my soul?'

...o0o...

In Kikyou's side, she had trekked ceaselessly the entire night to keep her thoughts distracted from the Demon Lord. But by daybreak, she was tired of walking to no place in particular. Kikyou had reached a hill, the tallest point in the hilly region. Climbing the gentle incline, the priestess was able to see most of the land spread down before her. The hill was slightly devoid of trees; its vegetation consisted mostly of tall grasses and bushes, but at its very crown was a large pine that had spreading branches, thus it stood out in the wilderness.

From her elevated point, Kikyou observed the land and sought to plan what course she should take. No village was at sight; the land was untamed, and she was all alone. Setting her weapons at the roots of the large pine, she basked in its rich shade, though the day was extremely cool. The skies have taken the color of steel grey, and Kikyou knew that she had to find shelter from the cold of the winter. She had not any furs or any other clothing save her miko garments. She would surely freeze to death if she was caught out in a snowstorm.

Looking up at the branches of the tree that spread like an intricate map, her thoughts once more diverted to Sesshoumaru.

'Sesshoumaru...do you hate me for stirring up your anger?' Kikyou thought. A cold wind made its way to the hill, gently swaying the stately branches of the huge pine and sending Kikyou's hair a-flutter. She doubted if ever the Demon Lord would ever wish to feel her presence again, after she tasted what his temper could be like. He was a Demon, she knew, and feral instincts are simply a part of his blood. A Demon he may be, but he too has feelings, Kikyou learned, and she cursed herself for not being sensitive to that side of his.

Kikyou ran a hand over her slender neck, and her spine began to tingle recalling how the tips of his claws grazed the skin of her neck...and how fearful and menacing Sesshoumaru looked that night. Those flaming red eyes...they bored their way into her, they expressed his anger on her. _He hated her_...and it was because she was not considerate of his own emotions. Though she knew that she could use her powers against him, she did not summon them up. Kikyou blamed herself for the predicament she got herself and Sesshoumaru into. She was too inconsiderate of him to ask that selfish question that hurt him...

Kikyou's hand strayed to the grassy ground, and she angrily dug her fingers into the loamy soil. He had tried to kill her, but he stopped himself in the end. Why? He would have done a great favor to her...ending her miserable life and all, but he let her live. _Why?_ Why does he have to let an ungrateful creature such as her live? He had allowed her to come with his group, and he was ever so patient with her stubbornness. Though Sesshoumaru may be cold and distant, he defended her if necessary. But all that she gave him in return was trouble and bother.

'Alas, why do I have to act so foolishly?' Kikyou berated herself. 'He does not deserve to bear my half-life existence the way he does not deserve Kikumo.' She felt her eyelids growing heavy. She had not slept at all, and she had not rested until now. Her _shinidamachuu_ will bring her new souls soon, but for now she has to recover her strength.

Curling up among the strong roots of the pine tree to ward off the chilly breeze, Kikyou wrapped her dark raven hair about her and plunged almost immediately into the realm of dreams.

In her deep sleep, Kikyou was unable to notice the other presence that had just arrived. Deep green eyes observed the sleeping figure of the miko for a minute before jumping up the tree in one graceful bound. Sitting herself in one of the low-lying branches, Kikumo deftly ran a smooth fingertip at the blade of the Hiroko Kama, its silver cutting edge catching the faint traces of sunlight as she waited.

...o0o...

Kikyou gradually opened her eyes after a long sleep. To her alarm, she saw that the sun, burning bright orange and its tip starting to touch the horizon, was already being chased away by the dark trappings of night. She had overslept, and it would soon be night again. When will her body clock ever be righted again?

But something made her sit up even more. She could feel a powerful Demon's aura. She had been around Sesshoumaru long enough to know that it was not his _youki_ that she was feeling. It could only be...

"Had a nice sleep?" a cold, sardonic voice echoed from above.

Kikyou's eyes immediately flew to the branches directly above her, and her mahogany eyes met the emerald eyes of the Deer Demon. She was sitting idly on the pine branch, her slender form almost covered by the thick pine needles that surrounded her. Her fawn hair was tied back again in a loose plait, and she was smiling frostily at the Priestess.

At once, Kikyou spotted the sheathed Tenseiga on the Demoness' waist, and her iron will began to form again within her. 'I will make you return what you have stolen, Demoness,' she thought as she calmly slung her quiver across her back and got hold of her bow.

"Leaving so soon?" Kikumo said softly, running her hand over the polished handle of her _naginata_. "I don't think so." Her eyes had narrowed considerably, and all Kikyou could see were two deep green orbs peeking through eyelids shaded in dark brown.

"Am I to leave without getting from you what is not rightfully yours?" Kikyou said in an equally cold voice, slowly pulling a finely wrought arrow from her quiver and fixing it her bow. "_That_, I don't think so."

Kikumo let out a derisive laugh. "Oh, you mean this." Her hand ran over the hilt of the Healing Fang, eyeing Kikyou mockingly, as though compelling her to snatch the sword from her waist. "Did he send you as his champion to get Inutaisho's legacy for him?"

"Sesshoumaru would have gotten the Tenseiga from you if he has to," Kikyou replied calmly, pulling the bowstring taught. She was just waiting for the right moment to fire. "But it just came to pass that I came across you before him, and I will retrieve the Sword of Life from you, by force if necessary, and give it back to its rightful wielder."

"_You_ came across me?" Kikumo said, smirking, her green eyes flashing with malice. "Rather, _I_ came across you, sleeping like a helpless lamb under the shade of a pine tree. I would have slain you, miko, unresisting. But I like challenges, you see. And you are just a perfect wildflower for me to tame." Gracefully, she leaped down from the branches and landed a few feet in front of Kikyou, who stood ready with her bow drawn taut.

'Rather, I think you are a wild deer in need of taming,' Kikyou thought, her eyes narrowing to see Kikumo bend forward slightly and positioned the Hiroko Kama at a perfect angle to combat the Priestess. 'You would have done better if you had slain me while I slept, for I won't stop until your soul is driven to the fires of hell, Demoness.'

"Pity," Kikumo whispered, maintaining her composed stance. "Did you not know that the _naginata_ was made at a time when most of the enemies are archers? My skills are just ideal for a duel with you, Undead Miko."

But Kikyou was silent. She was waiting for Kikumo to make the first move. She knew she won't be able to fire her arrows if the Demoness stood on alert with her Hiroko Kama. Though Kikyou was watchful, she wasn't quite prepared when Kikumo leaped up in the air and swung her blade at the Priestess.

The _youkai_ was so swift that all Kikyou's eyes could see was a blur of brown and red orange, but Kikyou ducked just in time, narrowly missing the shining metal that would have severed her head from her body in one swipe. She swiftly let go of the bowstring, aiming for Kikumo's head, but a graceful swing of her head was all it took for the arrow to miss its target.

Another swing from the Hiroko Kama forced Kikyou to draw back slightly from Kikumo. The _naginata_'s long handle prevented her from approaching Kikumo at a close parameter, and Kikyou knew too well that her opponent could easily dodge her arrows if she shot them from afar. Alas, Kikumo's a tricky foe to handle.

"Give up already, miko?" Kikumo said tauntingly as she launched herself for a new attack. Kikyou had another arrow ready, and she relied mostly on her instincts, knowing that Kikumo's swiftness far exceeds what her physical senses could grasp. When the _youkai_'s blurry form swung past her, Kikyou released the arrow. It tore through Kikumo's left sleeve, but the Demoness was otherwise unharmed. Pain, however, stung Kikyou's face as she did so. The Hiroko Kama had grazed her cheek, drawing blood.

"That was a close one," Kikumo whispered, fingering the torn cloth of her kimono. In no time at all, she lunged at Kikyou again, who dodged the swing of the _naginata_'s shining blade. But this time, Kikumo swung the Hiroko Kama around and smote Kikyou on the shoulder with the opposite end of the weapon. The Priestess grunted in pain and dismay to see blood flowing steadily from the new wound. It was not a mortal injury, but the pain it gave the miko was considerable.

Kikyou unconsciously dropped her bow and the arrow she was clutching, and Kikumo took advantage of her momentary defenselessness and swung Kikyou with her bare hand against the lone tree of the hill. Kikyou barely had time to recover her senses when she felt the cold handle of the Hiroko Kama being pressed against her neck. She opened her mahogany eyes and she saw Kikumo looming over her. The ebony handle of the _naginata_ pressed harder against her neck and Kikyou began to choke.

Kikumo smirked and held out her left hand while keeping the Hiroko Kama's handle on Kikyou's neck with her other hand. Kikyou, through half-closed eyes, saw that the nails of the Demoness' thumb, middle finger and forefinger had begun to elongate and form claws similar to Sesshoumaru's.

"I normally use these claws to play my koto," she said quietly. "But they can be of more use than that." Her claws had begun to puncture their way through Kikyou's cheeks when the Priestess suddenly got hold of Kikumo's shoulders. Kikyou called forth her miko powers and a bright light flashed from her hands and burned the Demoness where they touched.

With a scream of pain, Kikumo recoiled from Kikyou and removed the Hiroko Kama from her neck. She clawed at her smoking shoulders, which were dripping blood. The cloth that had covered her shoulders was singed, and had charred edges that still had a trace of the blue holy flame that Kikyou had used. The Priestess knew that the blue flame was only effective to demons of a lesser power, and it had only scorched Kikumo because she was nearly as powerful as Sesshoumaru. Though she could banish her foe to hell, it would take too much power, and Kikumo might end up taking the Tenseiga with her in the mixed dimension. She needs the help of her Purity arrows if she wishes to defeat the Demoness.

Kikyou was about to dash and recover her bow when she suddenly saw her body glowing white. She was beginning to find it very difficult to move; her body began to sag as though being weighed down by lead. Kikyou was aghast; the souls in her body are about to break free from their prison. Where are her _shinidamachuu_? She needed souls much more now!

Kikumo, amidst her extreme pain, smiled a twisted smile and said, "My turn." Painfully, she reached into the red box which hung from her sash in a black string and took out a handful of white chrysanthemum petals. Holding them in her palm she blew the petals from her hand towards Kikyou, who knew not of the power of the flower petals. Once the chrysanthemum petals came to contact with the air, they began to change shape, their oblong forms melting to become hard, curved arches that had sharp edges.

When Kikyou finally became aware of what the petals really were, it was too late. Cursed by immobility, she was quite unable to duck the sharp wedges, and to her dismay, one of the curved blades came into contact with her right wrist, cutting clean through her skin. Worse, the white-tinted blade dug deeply into the trunk of the pine tree, thus pinning her to the tree effectively by her wrist.

By then, a number of her _shinidamachuu_ had begun to appear in the late afternoon mist, carrying the souls for their mistress. But they are not to reach her soon. Kikumo had put forth her power and caged the tree where Kikyou was with a barrier that the little demons could not penetrate. Kikyou felt her hopes crumbling, though out of her pride and amidst her immobility, she put on a strong-willed expression which amused Kikumo.

"Doesn't this scene look familiar to you, Kikyou?" Kikumo whispered, hiding the corporal pain which she felt on her body. She touched Kikyou's chin with the pointed metal counterweight of the _naginata_, forcing her face up to look at the furious eyes of the Demoness. "You once sealed Sesshoumaru's half-brother to a tree, didn't you? Now _you_ have a taste of how it feels to be stuck to one! And why ever did you choose to side with Sesshoumaru? You and I have much in common, priestess. You know how it feels to be hurt out of love, but why can't you fathom my reasons for wishing revenge for my pain?"

Kikyou, through much difficulty, managed to speak. Blood was flowing from her wounded wrist, staining her pure white sleeves. "It is true; I got hurt because I loved. But I have realized that it won't hurt to try to love again. You are fortunate, Kikumo, for Sesshoumaru loved you. But you, worthless creature, threw away that gift! Had you let go of your hate you would have spared yourself and Sesshoumaru more hurt!"

Kikumo's eyes began to blaze red. Kikyou noticed that the two sharp arches above her eyebrows had also begun to glow red, standing out from her fawn bangs. "Spare myself and Sesshoumaru from more hurt? Priestess, I have spared _myself_ from that hurt you're talking about. It caused me extraordinary satisfaction to see him humbled. Sweet it is, to see him cower before me asking for forgiveness and begging that I return his Tenseiga to him."

However, Kikyou said quietly and slowly, for her strength was failing her, "The time will come when you will regret that you have ever betrayed him."

At this statement, Kikumo's eyes flared and she slapped Kikyou on the face with all the strength she could muster. Kikyou did not even flinch. Kikumo, apparently bored with her, then stood up straight and adjusted her ochre shawl in order to hide the worst of her burns and turned to walk away.

"Why are you doing this to me, Kikumo?" Kikyou called out weakly, sagging against the tree with the little strength she had left. "I have done you no wrong!"

Kikumo paused for a while. What she said shocked Kikyou completely. "I am simply doing part of my deal with Naraku, Priestess." Having said so, she transformed into her deer form and galloped back into the woods amidst the horrible weals on its upper front shanks, leaving the miko pinned to the tree.

Kikyou, too shocked for words, could only stare at her desperate _shinidamachuu_ who could do nothing but hover outside the impassable barrier. Her strength was spent, and she could hardly move. 'She betrayed us all to Naraku,' was the angry thought that kept going through her head. As the souls began to leak from her body and out to the unseen dimensions beyond, she knew she was in grave danger. And she was all alone; no one would aid her. The sun had almost sunk fully from the horizon, leaving behind trails as red as the blood that stained the hill's crown.

"Sesshoumaru..." she called out weakly, and she felt her strength fail her as she simply hung there like a lifeless corpse, the blade digging deeper into her wrist. Just as when she had surrendered to despair, one of her _shinidamachuu_ left the others and went out into the forest, as though searching for something, or someone.

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru had felt the clashing auras of the two females. He had ordered Rin and Jaken to stop and make camp in order to further observe the outcome of their duel. Sesshoumaru was, of course, sorry for Rin. She had not smiled at all the whole day, and he knew that it was all because Kikyou had left them. He was both surprised and alarmed to feel Kikyou release some of her miko powers, and furthermore, to feel Kikumo's _youki_ fight back. The _taiyoukai_ knew at once that she and the miko are fighting nearby, but he had let them move in their own business and had not intervened.

Gradually, he felt the two auras calm down after some time of fierce outbursts, and he felt the youki, no doubt, Kikumo's, fade away as she disappeared from the region. But Kikyou's aura, he had observed, was greatly weakened, and on top it all, was stationary. What was wrong with her? He suddenly felt the chill coming from the Priestess' aura, signifying trouble. And had he not felt that before, before he rescued her from the red demon...?

It did not take too long for the answer to come. A white Soul-snatching Demon suddenly appeared from the trees and began to hover over them. Rin had at once jumped up and extended her arms at the demon that she recognized as Priestess Kikyou's. It had another of the firefly-like lights on its claws.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, isn't that a _shinidamachuu_?" she said excitedly. The white demon ignored her, though. It bravely approached Sesshoumaru and began to hover near his face. It would float back to the direction it came from and back to the Demon Lord again, as though compelling him to come.

The little _shinidamachuu_'s odd behavior alerted Jaken, and he began to wave the Staff of Heads at it, as though attempting to drive it away. "Hey you! We are through with your mistress! Don't bother Lord Sesshoumaru with your sneaky flights!"

Sesshoumaru, however, had stood up on his feet with the words, "Silence. Jaken, Rin, stay where you are. I am going to find out what's upsetting this demon."

"Can't I accompany you, Lord Sesshoumaru-" Jaken muttered, but the Demon Lord had cut him off with a cold glare and went into the forest, with the pearly demon escorting him from above.

...o0o...

Sesshoumaru let the _shinidamachuu_ lead him to Kikyou. He had seen a rough vision of her pitiful state through the little demon's eyes, and before he knew it, he was atop the hill which was brightly illuminated in the failing light by the large number of _shinidamachuu_ and souls that gathered around the solitary tree at its crown.

His heart missed a beat to see the ragged figure dangling helplessly on the tree trunk. His keen sense of smell caught the sickening scent of the Priestess' blood that had spilled on her garments and had even stained the blades of grass at her feet. The scene he saw in the little demon's eyes was but a rough echo of the real thing, and Sesshoumaru's heart reached out at once to Kikyou.

"Kikyou!" her name left his throat in a worried tone before he knew it. Sesshoumaru advanced towards the tree, his platinum hair outshining the glimmer of the Soul-snatching demons and the souls they carried. Suddenly, he felt the energy shield that kept them back. He knew at once that it was Kikumo's doing, and he just knew how to combat it. Holding out his hand, he flexed his talons and plunged it into the barrier. The energy that surrounded the pine rippled once, and was gone.

Moving through the tangle of _shinidamachuu_ that clustered around Kikyou's limp body as they let the souls be absorbed by the miko's body, Sesshoumaru hooked his one arm around her weak form and effortlessly wrenched away the blade that pinned her wrist to the tree. Kikyou at once collapsed against him, and Sesshoumaru knelt on the ground clasping her wilted form close to him. Her blood had begun to stain his garments, but it bothered him not. He laid her head on his shoulder and he held her against his torso as he waited for the _shinidamachuu_ to finish their task of giving her the souls she needed.

Sesshoumaru took the time to observe how injured Kikyou was. He was dismayed to see her smooth cheeks marred by bloody scratches, and her shoulder was pierced by some sharp object. But the worst, as far as he can see, was on her wrist, where the curved blade cut and pinned her to the tree. He had gently taken her wounded wrist and clasped it tightly so as to stop the bleeding, and gradually, the flow of blood ceased, though by that time, his hand was stained by Kikyou's blood. Sesshoumaru felt his own blood boil to see her so hurt. Kikumo will pay double for doing this to Kikyou...

After the last _shinidamachuu_ deposited its soul on her clay body, Kikyou began to stir. She was quite delirious, and the only words that Sesshoumaru could catch from her mouth were, "She's with Naraku...she's betraying us to Naraku..." Sesshoumaru knew at once what she was talking about. Kikumo...she had allied herself with the evil _hanyou_.

But that was not his problem of the moment. Kikyou was extremely weak, and she might die if she continued to exert herself. With all the gentleness he could muster, he tenderly stroked her wounded cheek, saying, "Save your strength, Kikyou."

Kikyou's eyes had at once fluttered open when his deep voice reached her ears. She couldn't believe it. It was he, and she heard him call her by her real name for the first time. For a brief moment, she forgot the feel of the spasms of pain racking her body.

"Sesshoumaru...I am sorry..." she whispered weakly to him before she passed out. Her weak body sinking into the long piece of fur slung over Sesshoumaru's shoulder. Just then, the _taiyoukai_'s keen eyes caught sight of the shimmering flakes of silver descending from the sky. It was the first snowfall of the year, announcing the start of the cold winter.

Kikyou shivered against him, and Sesshoumaru did not hesitate to wrap his furry pelt around her fragile form to keep the cold from her. He then stood up, carrying Kikyou close to him with his one arm. He felt her weak breath against his neck, and he nuzzled the snowflakes off her disheveled raven hair comfortingly as he carried her back to their camp. Ah, curse his dear brother for hacking off his other arm! He could have carried her easier and more comfortably if he had his both arms intact.

"I won't let her hurt you again, Kikyou," he whispered into her ear, his breath coming in cold puffs. "That, I promise."

...o0o...

Wahh...I don't know if Kikyou could bleed in her clay body, but let's just say she can. Besides, it will help make the scene sweeter, right?


	9. The Choice of Hate and Love

**Chapter Eight: The Choice of Hate and Love **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Okay, back to work! Well, Dark Sorceress Arwen, thanks for your last review. I indeed had fun, but alas, my shoulders got sunburned and they were sore for two days. Now I have a feel of what Kikumo (of all the persons O.o) must have suffered when Kikyou burned her shoulders last chapter. Also, I know that it might make sense that Kikyou could not get sick (or even eat) if she could not bleed, but I will bend that rule in my story.

...o0o...

Rin had taken to exploring a little the area where they encamped while waiting for Sesshoumaru to return. They had stopped near a huge expanse of bare rock that had dried husks of dead bushes and grasses embedded at its surface. The size of the huge rock wall aroused the curiosity of the child, but it failed to drive away her apprehension at the Demon Lord's departure. Jaken himself, was jittery. What does the appearance of one of Kikyou's _shinidamachuu_ mean? She can't cause them trouble now...can she?

"Don't worry, Jaken-sama," Rin had told her Lord's retainer in an attempt to calm him down somewhat. "Sesshoumaru-sama will return soon." But how soon was soon? The sun had fully sunk from the horizon, leaving behind streaks of gold and red which were soon overwhelmed by the grey clouds of winter.

The little girl approached the large rock wall and her hands eagerly felt the weathered, dark brown surface as she walked at its base. Its surface was smoothed to an extent that it was could not be scaled. Rin's chocolate brown eyes stared with awe up at the barrier of stone, marveling at its tall height which surpassed that of the trees by many meters.

Rin continued to explore the base of the huge rock when she came to a certain spot where numerous trees, bare of their leaves, huddled beside the rock face as though attempting to hide a secret. Tilting her head in utter inquisitiveness, the human girl cautiously poked her head in between a gap among the naked trees to see what lies within. To her surprise, Rin discovered that she was facing the entrance of a little cave, well-hidden from the world outside by the small grove of trees.

"Sesshoumaru-sama will like this," Rin said to herself, recalling that the silver-haired Demon Lord had conferred with Jaken many times that day as to where they will find shelter in case a snowstorm overtakes them. This cave would be a perfect place to...

Something cold fell on Rin's back, and she jumped up in surprise. Another cold bite stung her nose, and Rin, cross-eyed, recognized that the tiny stuff was snow. She looked around her and saw that the numerous little flakes are falling everywhere, giving the seemingly lifeless surroundings a silvery glow. Winter had begun, and Rin hurriedly rushed back to their camp, knowing that she might have strayed too far, and the gentle snowfall might become a blizzard and prevent her from finding her way back.

She had expected her Lord Sesshoumaru to be back by the time she had arrived, but the only _youkai_ that greeted her eyes was Jaken, who had huddled beside Ah-Un to somehow keep the cold stings of the snow away.

"Hasn't Sesshoumaru-sama arrived yet?" Rin innocently asked the lesser demon as she took a seat near him.

"No," the little toady demon had replied, rubbing his hands, which had gone cold with worry, together. "If Lord Sesshoumaru does not arrive in a couple of minutes, I am going where he had gone."

Rin was about to reply when the soft crushing of dried leaf husks made them look at the direction where Sesshoumaru went. Rin's face broke into a smile when the regal figure of the _taiyoukai_ emerged from the trees, escorted by numerous white Soul-snatching demons which he drove away with a mere flicker of his eyes. But Rin's happiness soon turned to dismay to see the silk of his garments soiled by nauseating blood. The little girl's eyes widened to see that Sesshoumaru carried a cargo that had his long bloodstained pelt of fur wrapped around it with outmost care.

Approaching the Demon Lord, Rin's and Jaken's mouths fell open to see raven locks sticking out of the creamy fur, and furthermore to see on whose head it was attached to.

It was Kikyou, and there was no mistaking that the blood that stained Sesshoumaru's clothing came from her wounds. Even Jaken, as much as he disliked the Undead Miko, could not help but feel pity to see Kikyou with her injuries and scratched face. Her head rested on Sesshoumaru's shoulder; apparently, she was unconscious.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what happened to..." was all Rin could say, too lost for words.

"We have to get her out of the cold," Sesshoumaru told his companions, eyeing the partially frost-covered surroundings. Though his voice was calm and composed, the concerned look in his amber orbs was evident as he tightened his one-armed hold around Kikyou's frail body.

"There is only the forest to hide us, Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken uncertainly said, but he trembled to see the angry look coming from his Lord, which gave him the message, 'Then don't just stand there! Find some shelter, fool!'

Rin, however, spared Jaken from further trouble by saying in a small voice while clasping her hands together with worry for the Priestess, "Rin saw a cave nearby, Sesshoumaru-sama. Maybe it can keep the snow from Kikyou-sama."

Sesshoumaru regarded the girl steadily for a second before he said, "Show us the way, Rin."

Rin nodded quickly and she darted off towards the rock barrier with her companions following close behind.

...o0o...

"This is it, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said meekly, motioning towards the grove of trees that she had seen earlier.

The Demon Lord spared a good look at the cave from a gap between the trees before he stepped forward and squeezed between their bare trunks into the dark chamber of stone beyond. His golden eyes once more affixed themselves to the Priestess' unmoving form. She was still unconscious, and her breath - two of hers for each one of his - was weak against his neck.

Rin went between the trees and inside the cave just like the _taiyoukai_ had done, to be followed by Jaken who pulled Ah-Un by his reins behind him. Once inside, Sesshoumaru gently lowered Kikyou on the rough, cold floor of the cavern, taking care not to further aggravate her injuries while doing so. Lying down at the very end of the small chamber, the snow would least likely reach her, but he still removed his furry red-stained pelt from his shoulder and wrapped it around the miko's own shoulders to keep her warm.

Jaken and Rin could only stare at their master's silent yet unusually tender actions. They had never seen Sesshoumaru without his creamy fur just as they had never seen him without his swords, but the times were obviously changing. They had still to fathom about what happened to the Healing Fang, and Sesshoumaru just won't tell them about what became of it.

Having made sure that Kikyou was comfortable, Sesshoumaru wordlessly withdrew to a corner of the cave where he sat down in his usual position. Amidst his crimson-stained garments, he still looked as noble and foreboding as he usually would. Furthermore, his platinum-sheen hair added a comforting light to the gloom of the cavern. His eyes never left the miko's unconscious form, as though watching over her in never-ceasing vigilance.

Jaken tethered Ah-Un to a rock protruding from the ground in the cave and began to make a fire at the heart of the chamber with the firewood Rin had gathered earlier. The little girl, on the other hand, knelt down beside Kikyou, observing the numerous bruises on her face, shoulder and wrist. Though the blood appeared to have dried and formed a crust over the miko's wounds, she had not stirred, and it was not a good sign.

"What happened to her, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked of the silver-haired demon, looking at him from over her shoulders. The concern was clear in her child's face as she spoke.

"Kikumo attacked her," Sesshoumaru said simply, without a trace of interest at the topic. His amber orbs finally left the Priestess and he stared emptily at the dancing flames of the yellow fire at the heart of the little room.

"Kikumo, my Lord?" Jaken asked, surprised. He was sitting beside the two-headed dragon, as the chamber wasn't that large as to give all of them sufficient spaces to stretch. "Why, savagery has never been part of her persona before!"

_"Before,"_ Sesshoumaru said quietly, emphasizing the single word. There was no mistaking the bitter edge in his otherwise composed voice.

"Is...Kikumo...the player of the invisible koto, Jaken-sama?" Rin asked of the toad-like demon.

"Who else can it be?" Jaken replied, as though everyone knew the answer. "She definitely has something up in her sleeve. First she plays that koto of hers in the forest a few weeks ago to haunt us, and now she attacks the Undead Miko. What have you to say about her whereabouts, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

But Sesshoumaru was silent, his intensely colored eyes deep in thought. Apparently, he knew the answer, but he refused to speak of it, ending the simple yet not simple conversation.

In silence, Rin preoccupied herself into eating whatever dried nuts she had been able to save before the winter had arrived. Watching the child's quiet form beside the fire, Sesshoumaru knew that she could not live off without eating for a long time unlike him and Jaken, and like a father to his child, he was concerned about her well-being. But he had a much larger concern of the moment.

_Kikyou...he had come to her rescue once again; he had called her by her own name and even lent her his fur to give her warmth..._

Amidst his apparent anxiety for Kikyou, to admit to himself that he had truly forgiven her for seeing him being fooled by Kikumo would be a mistake. Patience was one of his virtues (what else had enabled him to tolerate Jaken and Rin?), but when that fragile thread of tolerance was broken, his temper could reach extraordinary heights. A part of him still detested the Undead Miko, and he was as tormented by her smile just as he was tormented by Kikumo's betrayal. Alas, what had become of him to be a rough echo of Naraku: to detest and like the Tragic Miko at the same time?

And Kikumo? If truth be told, Kikyou's last question of the other night did not fail to have an effect on his mind. Would he give the Demoness another chance if she surrendered the Tenseiga back? Sesshoumaru knew that he had a soft spot in his heart for the Deer _youkai_ - he still does, miraculously - but he now hated her all the more after finding out that she was allied to Naraku. Can he ever let her go?

Sesshoumaru unconsciously clenched his fist. He knew that he could not abide his clashing sentiments for Kikyou and Kikumo for a long time. He had to choose one for each of them, either to let go or to love, if not express liking, again. The Demon Lord just knew how crucial that choice would be. It would either break or shape his future, as he knew it; he had to choose well.

...o0o...

The gentle snowfall had transformed into a blizzard early morning the next day, thus deterring the little company from making further progress on their journey. But thanks to the small grove of leafless trees guarding the entrance of their cavern, the snowstorm did not hit them as badly as Sesshoumaru had thought.

Not that they would have left, anyway. Kikyou had not regained her consciousness amidst the healing of her wounds, which was rapid for a human. The scratches on her face, previously conspicuous, had dulled into thin lines, and the wounds on her wrist and shoulder had assumed the healthy color of healing. Sesshoumaru showed no inclination to leave Kikyou in her condition, but neither Jaken nor Rin could understand what the great _taiyoukai_ had in mind for the Priestess, and neither of them have the guts to ask him about it.

Rin had chosen to sleep beside the Tragic Priestess so as to see if she was making any improvement; therefore, the little girl was the first to know that Kikyou's condition had gone for the worse. Wakened and rather frightened by the howling sounds of the blizzard, Rin had instinctively grasped at the limp hand of the miko, and the child had felt that the Priestess' hand was warm. Or was that warmer than usual?

Fully awake now, Rin knelt beside Kikyou's form bundled up in Sesshoumaru's furry pelt as she felt the Priestess' temples with her small hands. Even a fool would know that a fever had taken hold.

"Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama, Kikyou-sama is sick!" Rin gasped. Sesshoumaru, whose eyes were previously closed as though in a restful slumber, came at once to the miko's side and carefully observed her features. Her cheeks were extremely flushed, her breathing rapid and weak. Hesitatingly, he placed his cool hand on her forehead, and he inwardly flinched at the feverish heat.

"What shall we do, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin implored her master, looking up at him worriedly.

Sesshoumaru hid his intense worry for Kikyou behind a neutral expression. Not exactly a master healer, the Demon Lord instructed Rin to summon Jaken. Having jolted the lesser demon out of the reverie of sleep by shaking him violently by the shoulders, Rin dragged the half-awake _youkai_ towards Kikyou and Sesshoumaru, repeatedly saying, "You've got to help Priestess Kikyou, Jaken-sama!"

"Why should I help her?" Jaken muttered in half-awareness only to be answered by Sesshoumaru's deep voice in turn.

"The miko is being plagued by a fever," Sesshoumaru said in an even tone without a trace of emotion. "And you are going to find a way to alleviate her condition."

Interpreting the statement as an order, Jaken obediently inspected Kikyou's symptoms, and shaking his head in disbelief, he said to his Lord, "It just an ordinary fever, my Lord." Jaken could not help but think that the sight of Lord Sesshoumaru without his fur slung over his right shoulder was rather unusual.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. There was nothing ordinary in her condition.

"But if it's a fever, where are we to find the herbs to help cure Kikyou-sama?" Rin asked hurriedly. "The snow had buried all the plants."

At this, Jaken shrugged and scratched his bare head, saying, "If that's the case, we are left with nothing but to wait. Neither Lord Sesshoumaru nor I have the ability to cure sicknesses at the blink of an eye. It is up to the Priestess whether to keep fighting or not."

Rin cupped both her hands over her mouth to suppress her gasp of apprehension. She turned to Sesshoumaru, not knowing what to do, and to their surprise, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Worry not, Rin. We won't abandon her." Having said so, Sesshoumaru adjusted his fur to wrap closer around Kikyou and retreated back to his corner of the cave.

The simple sentence planted a smile on the child's face and she nodded eagerly with renewed determination. Rin turned to the unconscious miko and grasped at one of her hands, saying, "You will get well, Kikyou-sama."

...o0o...

Jaken had taken to doing the arduous task of rekindling the dying flames of their fire to ward off the biting cold of winter. The only twigs available at such a short distance were the branches of the trees at the entrance of the cave, and the howling snowstorm just wouldn't allow them to go far; even the chore of chopping off a few branches from the trees already proved difficult in the raging snow. To top it all up, the twigs were dampened and cold from the snow, and they refused to give a spark.

But an even more laborious task lay for Rin, as she had taken to nursing the Priestess in all her humility. Using a piece of cloth torn from her sash dampened by a cold handful of snow (which was all they had for water), the child dutifully tended to the unconscious Kikyou. Placing the cool cloth on her forehead, Rin was hoping against hope that it would help lower the fever.

Amidst the screechy howling of the wind, Sesshoumaru was back in his solitary bend, carefully eyeing Kikyou's motionless form. Rin's caring nature for the sick and wounded once more tugged at Sesshoumaru's heart, having experienced being tended by the child. He privately cursed himself for not being of so much help to Kikyou. What he wouldn't give to help her get well...

The Demon Lord caught himself just in time. What was he thinking of? How had his life suddenly spun out of his control? Why does he feel such overwhelming concern for the miko after he tried to kill her a few nights past? Why does his heart, broken as it was, clench at her pain? He didn't love her...did he? He spared a good look at his hand. It still had faint traces of her blood, just like his garments.

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly at his thoughts. '_I don't love her_. I had loved once and I paid dearly for it. I cannot love anyone again, let alone her...' But inasmuch as he tried to deny himself, the Demon Lord of the West could not help but remember how Kikyou had smiled at him...the feel of her soft breath against his neck...and how she looked up at him and said such a heartfelt sorry...

'The world knows she loved my _dearest_ half-brother, and she still does,' Sesshoumaru thought so as to quell his rising emotions. 'She feels nothing for me, and I must not trouble myself with her for she's not worth my efforts...'

But deep inside him, as his eyes locked themselves to the delicate features of the unconscious miko, a chilling cold began to creep inside his heart upon realizing that she was presently battling the trappings of death that are wrapping closer and closer about her.

Her aura was severely shaken, and Sesshoumaru knew that even for a woman as strong-willed as Kikyou, to resist death with such a weakened life force was no easy task. And she had experienced so much heartbreak, so much pain and so much betrayal that made his own hurt look feeble by comparison. Amidst all his doubts and questions, one thing was clear: he could not bear to see her die; not now.

'Don't die before my very eyes, Kikyou.'

...o0o...

Ah, what's this? Sesshy couldn't bear to see Kiky die, eh? Stay on your guard for Chapter 9!


	10. A Dream of Lives Intertwined

**Chapter Nine: A Dream of Lives Intertwined **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** Hello again! It seems something is already starting to develop between our favorite youkai and miko, eh? Um, I actually had insomnia three nights ago just thinking of this chapter; I lay awake for a quite a number of hours even with the lights turned off... o.o Anyway, I hope you like it! 

...o0o... 

Kikyou remained unconscious for three more days, blind to all the events that are happening around her. Rin almost never left the miko's side and regularly dampened the cloth on her forehead to somehow alleviate the fever. But when she had to leave, it was only to accompany Jaken outside the cave to hunt. Rin was very grateful to Sesshoumaru-sama, for he had instructed his retainer to help Rin secure her food, which in the bleak winter, was very scarce. 

There were hardly any plants that are edible in the snow, therefore Rin had to depend on whatsoever animal, mostly birds, Jaken could find for her food. Though the child could barely tolerate the thought of hunting an innocent bird to fill her stomach, she had to eat or how would she tend Kikyou-sama or even live out the winter? 

That particular morning started with Jaken helping a reluctant Rin prepare a magpie they had caught the other day for roasting on the fire. 

"Come on, Rin," Jaken hissed at her while feeding dry twigs on the dying fire to keep it ablaze. "Just finish plucking those last feathers off that bird!" 

Rin did not answer, but she did finish her task. She pulled out the last feathers off the tail of the dead magpie and she gave the dressed carcass, still quite red from its blood, to the little demon to cook over the blaze on a stick. The sooner spring comes, the better, for she does not know how she will survive winter skinning rabbits or dressing birds for her meals, which might have an interval of two days or so between one and the next due to the harsh weather conditions. 

Sighing, Rin went over to Kikyou's supine form and placed her hand on the Priestess' temples to feel her temperature. To her happiness and surprise, Kikyou's skin was cool to the touch, and most of the color had returned to her face. Smiling, Rin removed the piece of cloth on her forehead and patted Sesshoumaru's soft pelt that was wrapped around the miko's shoulders before she went back to Jaken. 

"Kikyou-sama's fever had gone down," she said excitedly to the toady demon, who was turning the magpie-laden stick on the fire to cook the meat evenly. 

"Well, thank the heavens!" Jaken said more of sarcasm than of relief. "She is slowing our progress; if not for her, we could have gone a many good miles by now. And are we to wait for her to awake? How long does she have to slumber, for the sake of Lord Sesshoumaru?" 

Rin sighed once more. She knew that Jaken had become bored from their inactivity the past days, and she knew that he would have wanted to leave the dreary cave as soon as the blizzard had died two days ago, covering the landscape with a fresh blanket of white snow. But Sesshoumaru had declared that they would not leave the miko for as long as her eyes remained closed, and though he would be gone for several hours outside the cave for reasons that are sorely his own, he always came back to check on Kikyou. The normally cold taiyoukai's concern for the unconscious Priestess was touching, at least for Rin. 

"Do you think Sesshoumaru-sama loves Kikyou-sama?" Rin asked Jaken, kneeling beside the fire and becoming absorbed in the gentle crackling sound it made. The silver-haired _youkai_ was not around. He was out of the cave in yet another of his mystery strolls. 

Jaken nearly dropped Rin's meal for the day, his already large eyes becoming larger and becoming as round as saucers. "Where did you get such a far-fetched idea, Rin?" he admonished the little girl. "Lord Sesshoumaru is too powerful for that lowly miko, and a human miko at that! You are an astounding exception, Rin, for Sesshoumaru-sama tolerates your presence amidst your human heritage. And besides, that woman loves his hated half-brother Inuyasha. He would not waste his time and feelings for her, that is, if he will waste precious time to love." 

"Then why is Sesshoumaru-sama so concerned about Kikyou-sama? Rin can see that he looks at her differently. And Rin had seen Kikyou-sama gazing at Sesshoumaru-sama with a dreamy look in her eyes about a week ago. He really _cares_ about her, Jaken-sama! Isn't it marvelous, Jaken-sama? If they marry, we will all live happily ever after!" 

'Childish fairy tales,' Jaken thought with disgust. He turned the fowl, browned and cooked through, over the fire for one last time before he handed the stick to the little girl, saying, "I guess that's done. Eat well, for it seems your imagination is running wild out of the rumblings of an empty stomach..." 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru had ascended the steep rock face that housed his companions for the time being. At its very snowcapped pinnacle, he stood straight and still, his amber eyes quietly surveying the white wilderness. He let the cold breeze play at his platinum locks as he once more sought to clarify his mind from the confusion. Though his face was calm and collected, a wild storm was seething inside him. 

He had closely monitored Kikyou's condition the past days, and he was deeply relieved to feel her aura steadily recovering. But once she is completely healed, what was he to do with her? Would he drive her away again, or would he try to convince her to come with them again? Would he...? 

'Enough,' he told himself heatedly. 'I, Sesshoumaru, am getting nowhere if I keep on hovering in questions. I ought to come up with a concrete answer if I wish to carry on. What am I to do with the miko once she completely recovers?' 

The memories of the night when he had tried to kill her were still fresh in his mind, and it both encouraged and discouraged him to let Kikyou join his company again. She did not harbor any evil thoughts for him, apparently. He had seen it in her eyes, unreadable as they might seem. But she had decided not to trouble him further, and he knew that she was a woman true to her words. Will he allow her to leave him again? 

But if she would leave...Rin, who was so fond of her, would once more, be unhappy. Sesshoumaru, though he refused to let it show, did not wish that to happen to the child. And besides, all his and Jaken's companionship could never give her the womanly influence she needed. Kikyou would somehow help in molding Rin into a person she should be. And, for the sake of the heavens, Kikumo... 

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered with anger and they narrowed into thin slits at the mere thought of the Demoness, his past love. She had attacked Kikyou, and look at what damage she had done to the Priestess... He recalled that he whispered a promise to the Tragic Priestess to protect her from the Deer _youkai_ when he rescued her from the tree. Was he to break that? No; he, Sesshoumaru, does not turn back from his words. 

With a snort, the great Lord of the Western Lands swiftly turned and leaped down the rock face in a single graceful bound and touched down on the snow-blanketed ground soundlessly, his mind set on what path to take. He knew that his reasons reach deeper than those just mentioned. Sesshoumaru's heart seemed to whisper to him for the first time, and for the first time, he listened and let himself be guided by the voice inside him. 

...o0o... 

Behind Kikyou's seemingly peaceful, unperturbed slumber, a nightmare waged at her soul. Had she the power, she would have wakened and freed herself from the horror of the terrible visions she saw in her mind's eye, but Kikyou had temporarily lost all control of her body, and she could not move, she could not open her eyes, amidst her wishes. 

When she lost consciousness in Sesshoumaru's embrace, her weakened soul had been trapped in the realm of dreams, or accurately, nightmares. Kikyou felt as though she was being torn from Sesshoumaru and she saw herself in the middle of a dark forest, where the trees are bare and blacker than ebony. A dull grey mist obscured her vision, and dark shapes loomed about her, surrounding her, _driving her deeper into their lair..._

"Where am I? Where is Sesshoumaru?" 

Kikyou managed to contain her fear for the first few moments, but as she walked through the forest of gloom, searching for a way out, the shadows that followed her began to emerge from the mist. They were demons of a monstrous form, with distorted faces and bodies gnarled like the branches of an old tree, evil and frightening. 

The Priestess shrank beneath the shadow of a tree, but the tree's form melted into yet another of the fearsome demons, and Kikyou found herself surrounded by a whole demon horde. She hadn't her bow and arrows, so she tried to use her supernatural miko powers. She pressed the palms of her hands together and a blue holy flame erupted from her hands, which she drove towards the demons. 

But the blue flame, instead of consuming the evil _youkai_, wrapped around her slender form and Kikyou felt her brain numb with shock and pain as the flame began to consume her. Around her, the demons began to tear towards her, and when she waited for the final blow to come, the dark world began to dissolve in a whirl of color, and Kikyou found herself walking in a grassy field that looked rather familiar, and her hands clasped the glassy purplish Shikon jewel. 

Out of a sudden, pain, deadly and mortal, cut through her right shoulder, and she fell to the ground, the Shikon jewel falling out of the grasp of her hand. Trying to recover her senses, Kikyou saw clawed hands grab the jewel and her eyes met an all-too-familiar face and dog ears. It was Inuyasha, and he was smiling a twisted smile of triumph at having taken the Jewel of the Four Souls from the hands of its Guardian. 

Kikyou at once remembered the scheme of Naraku, and she knew that the _hanyou_ wasn't her past love, but rather, the evil Naraku. But what she was experiencing was but a replay of what had come to pass, and the surroundings shifted themselves to the ancient tree in her village, where the real Inuyasha stood, tricked by Naraku into stealing the Shikon jewel. Kikyou saw that she clasped her bow and an arrow, and she recognized the memory: it was when she sealed Inuyasha to a tree, and her heart unconsciously clenched. 

"Inuyasha!" Her aim was perfect, and Inuyasha, with the jewel in his hand, was at once pinned to the tree and his eyes closed in the sealing sleep. Her strength was spent, and she fell to the ground, blackness once more enveloping her vision. 

"What's happening to me?" Kikyou tried to ask, but the words were flung back to her throat, and the blackness gave way to a craggy cliff which was engulfed in a white mist. Confused, the Priestess cautiously probed the barrier, which was bright and filled with enchantment. 

Gradually, through the bright haze of mist, she made out the forms of Sesshoumaru and Kikumo. They were standing close to one another, and their eyes were gazing at one another with loving candor. The Demoness then flung her arms around Sesshoumaru, and his single arm went about her as their lips met in a kiss. 

Too lost for words, Kikyou just stood there with her mouth open in shock and hurt to see her worst fear being reenacted before her very eyes. Though she knew that the vision she was seeing had never happened in reality, it stabbed at her heart just as painfully. 

"She's a traitor, Sesshoumaru!" she found herself screaming as she ran towards them, her hair slipping out of its loose ponytail as she did so. 

Sesshoumaru broke the kiss to face the figure of the miko. His eyes were cold, colder than anything she had ever seen. His words were spoken in a whisper, but it reverberated in Kikyou's mind as though he shouted them with all his might. 

"You are the one I hate, miko," he said coldly, and Kikumo tightened her hold around him as she rested her head against his neck and smiled at Kikyou with a twisted smile, which was very similar to the smile of the fake Inuyasha in the past vision. 

Kikyou felt as though she was being torn apart upon hearing the words which she most feared, and at once, the forms of the two _youkai_ began to melt and form a new figure, a man-form that had raven hair and was clad in robes of black and violet. This new figure lunged at the stationary form of the Priestess who stood still out of utter shock, and Kikyou felt herself falling over the crag as Naraku pushed her by her shoulders with a vengeful laugh. 

Behind him, she heard many voices, which seemed to have come from underground, and saw many faces of women, gaunt and filled with the pallor of death. They were all chanting as one voice, "You stole our souls. You shall pay for imprisoning our souls." Kikyou's face filled with fear upon seeing the living corpses of the souls that she had taken to keep her clay body moving, and their voices haunted her long after as she fell deeper into the cliff. 

Down she fell, into the darkness impenetrable and cold, and seemingly endless. Kikyou closed her eyes against the darkness, which was so thick that she could feel it pressing against her, forcing the air out of her lungs and she struggled to breathe. When she thought she could no longer endure the torment, a warm, comforting hand found its way to her, and she felt an arm wrapping across her back and pulling her towards a strong chest. 

Kikyou immediately clutched at her unseen savior, and the darkness around her slowly began to fade, and she once more felt the rays of the sun. She opened her eyes and looked up at the one who pulled her from the dark void, and her mahogany orbs met with amber. Kikyou immediately recognized the mark of the crescent moon on his forehead as Sesshoumaru returned her gaze with a gentle gleam. He was smiling at her, and she felt her own lips breaking into a smile amidst the horrors of the earlier vision. This was the Sesshoumaru she so longed for. 

"Whenever you're in peril, my Kikyou," said he in the kindest voice she had ever heard in years. "I won't abandon you, or ever will..." 

Kikyou felt tears of joy breaking out of her eyes as she buried her face in the hollow of his neck, and he gently nuzzled the crown of her head as she did so. 

'He does not hate me... Sesshoumaru does not hate me...' 

...o0o... 

Silently, the Demon Lord stepped into the stone chamber of their lodging. He spared a momentary look at Rin and Jaken, the former nibbling on the roasted magpie that was her meal, eating the little meat clean off the bones. Jaken was sitting on Ah-Un, his hand pillowing his drooping head as a gesture of boredom. 

Noticing that the _taiyoukai_ had returned, Rin temporarily took a break from her meal to tell Sesshoumaru the good news, her eyes dancing merrily as she gestured towards Kikyou. 

"Kikyou-sama is still unconscious," she said excitedly. "But the fever had broken, Sesshoumaru-sama!" 

"Had it, now, Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked calmly, making a great effort to hide his glee and relief at Kikyou's recovery beneath his cold exterior as he crouched beside the Priestess to examine her features. He could not help but smile slightly to see her face almost completely restored. Her cheeks were no longer flushed, and amidst the faded lines that marked where Kikumo had wounded her, even Sesshoumaru had to admit that Kikyou looked undoubtedly beautiful in her deep sleep. 

Out of a sudden, Kikyou's lips broke into a truly sweet smile that surprised even the _taiyoukai_, himself. He felt as though his heart lost its rhythmic timing for beating for a second before the miko began to show signs of movement. Her head tilted ever so slightly to the left, and after a few more seconds, her mahogany eyes, radiant and relaxed, slowly opened. 

Sesshoumaru still had a trace of a smile on his lips just when Kikyou's gaze, half-awake as they might seem, met and locked with his golden eyes. 

...o0o... 

Kikyou did not expect to see what her eyes were seeing, especially just after waking from her horrible ordeal on the realm of nightmares. There he was, looking at her and smiling ever so slightly, as though hiding a secret within. This can't be another dream...could it? 

But to Kikyou's disappointment, Sesshoumaru tensed upon seeing that she had wakened. Immediately after a flash of surprise came over his amber orbs, he lost the smile on his lips and his eyes turned away, breaking their eye contact and becoming cold once more. He looked rather embarrassed, but he maintained his regal composure. 

"So, you're awake, miko?" he said softly, but loudly enough for the rest of his companions to hear. Rin's and Jaken's eyes immediately flew to their direction, and saw that Kikyou had indeed awakened, and was now trying to sit up. 

"Priestess Kikyou!" Rin exclaimed happily. She stuck the bony remains of the roasted magpie stick in between two rocks and ran towards the Priestess, colliding with Kikyou's form in a tight hug. Amidst her half-awareness, Kikyou smiled and returned the child's hug, gently stroking Rin's hair. 

"Hello, Rin," Kikyou replied in a melodic voice, looking into the little girl's eyes and reading the joy and relief clearly written in them. 

"We thought you'd never wake again, Kikyou-sama," Rin said, her voice being laced with anxiousness. "You slept for four days, and you were so sick with fever, Kikyou-sama." Rin's voice regained their vigor. "But Rin took good care of Kikyou-sama! Rin wants Kikyou-sama to get well!" 

Kikyou was touched by the little girl's words, and she hugged Rin tighter as she said, "Then Kikyou-sama thanks you, Rin. She is glad that someone cares for her at least a bit..." 

"And now that you're awake, miko, I presume you wouldn't mind returning to me that fur wrapped on your shoulders," Sesshoumaru's authorative voice rang in the chamber, making Rin and Kikyou look at him as one. "We have to start our journey; we have a lot of ground to cover." His amber eyes pierced Kikyou, and she felt as though he was reading her soul by the mere glance. 

Kikyou's eyes fell on the creamy fur resting on her shoulders. Though it was stained by blood, no doubt hers, she recognized it as Sesshoumaru's pelt. It was only now that she noticed that there was no fur slung on his right shoulder. Hesitatingly, Kikyou removed her arms from around Rin's form and unwrapped the fur, soft and silky to her touch, from her shoulders and held it out to Sesshoumaru with her both hands and with outmost deference. 

"I thank you, Sesshoumaru," she whispered softly, her dark eyes once more making eye contact with his amber orbs to prove her sincerity. 

Though Sesshoumaru did not formulate a reply, he did not break the gaze as his hand took hold of the cream-colored pelt and slowly lifted it from the miko's hands as though in a dream. Positioning the soft material once more around his right shoulder as he usually would, the _taiyoukai_ stood up loftily and made for the entrance of the cave. 

Jaken shed his silence and went down from Ah-Un and motioned to Rin, saying, "Come on, Rin, it's time for us to go!" 

But Rin refused to let go of her hold around Kikyou's waist and she looked up hopefully at Kikyou, saying, "Are you not coming with us, Kikyou-sama?" 

Kikyou resumed stroking Rin's raven hair and looked in her eyes once more, hoping that she would understand. "I am very sorry, Rin. I would very much like to come with you, but I don't think your Sesshoumaru-sama would agree on my presence..." 

"What makes you think I won't?" Sesshoumaru's voice once more rang out as he looked at the two females from over his shoulder. His eyes were unreadable as the expression on his face, as always; therefore, Kikyou couldn't grasp his intentions. 

"But you said..." Kikyou said, uncertain of what to say. 

"Never mind that, miko," Sesshoumaru cut her off. Jaken and Rin exchanged curious glances. What were their master and the Priestess talking about? "If my sense of comprehension has not failed me, Naraku and Kikumo are on the move, and we can't be left too far behind, can we? You ought to realize how critical our alliance is by now." 

Kikyou nodded with understanding. He needed her in defeating Naraku, for she remains to be the evil _hanyou_'s only anathema. She needed him to overcome Kikumo's demonic force, for he was one of the few, if not the only one, whose power exceeded hers. But is this the only reason for Sesshoumaru's sudden and unforeseen decision to overlook their misunderstanding? Or was there something more? Does she have to wait until they defeat the Demoness and the _hanyou_ before she could know? But these thoughts, Kikyou kept to herself. 

Sesshoumaru gave a brief nod and did not elaborate the conversation further. He turned once more and went out of the cave into the weak sunlight with Jaken at his heels. Taking this as a gesture of acceptance, Kikyou stood up, gently pulling Rin up with her and gestured for her to mount Ah-Un. In a swift moment, they were out of the cave and following the figures of Sesshoumaru and Jaken. Kikyou took in her surroundings, which were transformed by the white snow that covered the landscape like a white robe. 

"Isn't the snow pretty, Kikyou-sama?" Rin asked the miko, excitedly tugging at her sleeve, which was still bloodstained by her earlier encounter with Kikumo. Kikyou's untied hair glinted in the weak sunlight, cascading down her back like a waterfall at midnight. 

"Yes, Rin," Kikyou smiled and placed her right arm around Rin. "I thought I would never have the chance to gaze at snow again." 

Rin looked up at Kikyou's face. "Sesshoumaru-sama was very worried about you, Priestess Kikyou." 

Kikyou could hardly contain her surprise at this statement. She could only stare blankly at Rin as she muttered, "He was?" 

Rin looked impatient at Kikyou's apparent confusion. "Sesshoumaru-sama did not wish to leave you sick, Kikyou-sama. He even lent you his fur. He cares about you, Priestess Kikyou!" 

Kikyou did not know how to react, so she just kept silent and looked at Sesshoumaru. She hardly saw his face when they walked, as he would walk ahead of them and rarely spared a look behind. Kikyou remembered the ghost of a smile she saw on his face when she woke up. And it was not a smile that was usually seen in his face, either. It only spoke of warmth and consolation, two things that are hardly seen in Sesshoumaru's outer facade. 

'So, he somehow worries about me, after all?' Kikyou thought to herself, smiling inwardly with satisfaction. 'It seems he is more than a dream after all...' 

...o0o... 

Beneath his neutral expression, Sesshoumaru was thinking of Kikyou. He was, of course, embarrassed when Kikyou caught him once more in the act, this time, smiling. Did she waken out of her own will, or did she waken because she knew that he was looking at her? No matter, she smiled sweetly for a brief time before her eyes opened, and Sesshoumaru once more found himself becoming drawn to the Priestess. 

'Are you playing your game again, miko?' he asked no one in particular. He felt as though he was being driven from his sanity by that simple gesture of Kikyou. Though Sesshoumaru was resisting inwardly his longing for the miko, such feelings were already beginning to overpower his dislike for her. If before, he saw Kikyou as a sneaky, headstrong human, he was now beginning to see her as a woman, a maiden deprived and in need of love, a love which he was unsure he could give. 

The Demon Lord's remaining hand went up to the furry wrap slung around his shoulder and he absentmindedly ran his fingers over the soft fur. Strangely, for all the years he had it on his shoulder, the fur felt different to his touch, assuming a softer and silkier texture. He didn't know if it was only his imagination or the doing of the miko, but he paid no attention. His keen nose caught Kikyou's scent which had clung on to his pelt, and he breathed it in deeply, rejoicing in her saccharine perfume. 

'Kikyou, are you but a dream?' 

...o0o... 

Hmmm, so, Sesshy's slowly losing the war against his feelings, eh? And Kikyou's worst fear is that he will hate her and love Kikumo instead, eh? Doesn't the suspense kill? ;) 


	11. The Snow by Moonlight

**Chapter Ten: The Snow by Moonlight **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** Another chapter up, yay! Don't think me weird, but I actually went off stargazing by myself and even watched Disney's Beauty and the Beast to rekindle my dying muse. I am battling impending writer's blocks as best as I can! 

...o0o... 

Winter carried on its usual slow, icy pace, but Sesshoumaru still led his own company in their journey through the snow-covered land as though the seasons meant little. With Kikyou back, Rin had resumed her normal chatters and thus filled the air around them with life in the dead of the cold season. They had reached a rocky stretch of the land, and the landscape abounds with monolithic rock formations made of a dark type of stone. At the bases and at the crowns of these dark monuments were evergreens, thus adding a splash of fresh vegetation in the otherwise empty winter wilderness. 

Trekking among the cold rocks proved to be tedious, for besides having to watch one's step so as not to fall into an untimely death, the snow had made the dark surfaces rather slippery, if not unfit for climbing. Sesshoumaru, being a _youkai_ of great stamina and might, did not find it particularly hard to scale the uneven cliffs, but he chose to keep his pace slow for his companions' sake. He took the extra effort to somehow trace a path among the rocks for them to follow, but it did not make the task of climbing much easier. 

Kikyou and Jaken were forced to put their efforts together so as to assist Rin in guiding Ah-Un through the perilous crags. The two-headed dragon seemed to over-cautious of the deep clefts, and he had to be constantly coaxed and forced through the irregular surfaces many times that day, thus making their journey comparatively slow compared to their past travels. 

"Come on, Ah-Un, move!" Jaken said through gritted teeth (if he ever had teeth). A winter fog was beginning to obscure the fading light of the sun, which had begun to sink in the western side of the horizon. The dragon let out a low growl from the deeps of its throats, as the little toady demon lightly struck its hind legs with his Staff of Heads to make him climb up a narrow ledge. 

Kikyou, who was pulling at Ah-Un's reins at the front, had gritted teeth as well. Her hands were beginning to sore from having to pull at the leather reins for a long time; her feet dug into the snow as she put forth her efforts to tug the dragon up the incline. The miko flinched at the cold that pierced through the thin soles of her sandals, but she complained not. 

Letting out a tired breath that came out of her mouth as a cold puff, Kikyou let her right hand hold at random protrusions of the rock wall to her right while her other hand clutched at Ah-Un's reins and pulled. To her left was a sheer drop that was lost in the evening mist. All that she could see down the crag were a couple of treetops sticking out of the dreary fog. No wonder Ah-Un was being so difficult. Any weak soul would not survive the dizzying climb. 

Suddenly, Kikyou stepped on some loose rocks beneath a thin covering of snow, and she would have descended down the white fog right then and there if not for her tight hold on the rock face. Rin, who sat on Ah-Un's back, let out a scream and placed her hands over her eyes for fear of what might happen to the miko. 

"I am all right, Rin," Kikyou called out in a whisper, making the little girl peek through gaps of her fingers. Nodding out an assurance to Rin, she guided the two-headed dragon to step safely through the weak rock, and Kikyou took a moment to gather her lost breath. Guiding a dragon through a perilous rock face is no easier than shooting demons out of the air! 

When she thought she was spent, Sesshoumaru, who was watching them expressionlessly from further up the ledge, led them into a hollow in the rock that was large enough to hold them all beneath its vaulted ceiling. Once inside, Jaken collapsed against the rough rock wall of the hollow and took in gulps of breath noisily to regain strength lost in a day of hauling Ah-Un up the rock formation. 

Kikyou, after helping Rin climb down Ah-Un, who immediately curled up in a corner to sleep, stood up to face Sesshoumaru, who was eyeing her near the entrance of the cave. 

"So, you idle _youkai_," she found herself saying out of utter exhaustion and irritation. "You find it amusing to stare at us while we labored to pull up your dragon up this rock while you just walk along as though it's nothing?" 

"You didn't need my help, miko," Sesshoumaru said simply, choosing to ignore her rising temper. 

"For a demon as blessed with a sharp mind as you, you are incredibly short-sighted sometimes," Kikyou replied, putting down her bow and arrow down the cold floor. Well-sheltered from the outside world, no snow reached their current place of lodging, but a cold spell still covered every corner. 

A corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth moved up in a little grin, but he said nothing in reply, knowing that he might only stir up the miko's already sour mood if he did so. Instead, he withdrew to a shadowed corner and kept his peace. 

Kikyou could not help but be irritated all the more by Sesshoumaru's refusal to talk to her, but she was distracted from her anger by Rin, who was looking up at her with chocolate brown eyes as she said, "Rin thanks Kikyou-sama for helper her guide Ah-Un throughout the day. Rin couldn't have done it without Kikyou-sama." 

The Priestess felt her rising temper melt away at the child's innocence. She found the strength to smile again and Kikyou hugged Rin as she said, "That is nothing, Rin. I wouldn't mind doing that for you." A faint light began to illuminate the stone chamber as Jaken sparked up a fire on his Staff of Heads and thrust the staff between a few rocks he set at the heart of the cave to keep it from falling. They had not firewood; therefore, they had to rely on Jaken's staff for their fire. 

"Are you hungry?" Kikyou asked of Rin as she sat the child close to the fire. The Priestess still had a carcass of a quail in a cloth bag hanging from her quiver. She had shot two of the birds the day before, when they were still in the lowlands, for Rin's food, but the child ate only one of the fowls. Kikyou did not normally hunt, but she had to, for she loved Rin. 

"Rin's not hungry, Priestess Kikyou," the child replied. Rin then yawned and blinked sleepily. "But Rin is sleepy." 

Kikyou grinned and helped the little girl unpack her sleeping bag. When Rin had slipped under the warm covers, she grasped Kikyou's hand and said, "Good night, Priestess Kikyou." 

Kikyou patted Rin's forehead with her other hand as she said, "Good night, Rin." Almost at once, the little girl's eyes closed in sleep, but her grasp on the miko's hand remained the same. Carefully, Kikyou laid herself down beside Rin's sleeping figure and used her free hand as a pillow as she slept, the tired lines on her gentle face gradually fading as the night progressed. 

Sesshoumaru, his face hidden in the shadows, tilted his head slightly as he observed the miko in her sleep. Fortunate was Rin, for she could hold Kikyou's hand and not earn resistance from the Priestess in turn. Fortunate was she, for Kikyou cares for her... 

A flash of sadness came across the _taiyoukai_'s eyes as he thought of Kikyou. There she was, so close yet at the same time so far away. She may respect him as an acquaintance, but will she ever see him as anything but a demon, the half-brother of her past lover, Inuyasha? And speaking of that dearest brother of his, how does Kikyou feel about him all these years? Sesshoumaru knew that a part of her would always love the hanyou, but she can't linger on heartbreak forever, can she? 

_'I have come to realize that I may be able to love again if I was given the chance, but...I doubt if anyone could stand to love a being made of clay and bones like me.'_

'A wandering soul played upon by fate, that's what she is,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself. Inwardly, he was sad for Kikyou; he was saddened by her anguish and her pain. She, a woman who had longed to be free of the burden of the Sacred Jewel...trapped in a clay body that granted her no freedom at all. 'You don't deserve to suffer all these, Kikyou...' 

...o0o... 

Kikyou was wakened at the middle of the night by soft, almost indiscernible pounding of feet against pure white snow. Gradually, she opened her mahogany eyes and scanned the cave. Jaken's staff was still offering them fire, but its owner was somewhere in the corner, a big bubble of saliva forming in his open mouth as he slept. The Priestess woke up just in time to see a flash of Sesshoumaru's platinum hair disappearing among the rocks outside their cave. 

'What are you up to, Sesshoumaru?' Kikyou thought. Gently, she pried Rin's fingers off her hand and tucked the child's hand under her quilt. Quietly, she stood up and went out of their haven, her sandaled feet making deep impressions in the snow. Her raven hair, untied and cascading down her back freely, gleamed in the light of the half-moon. 

Kikyou looked around her to find a trace of the enigmatic _taiyoukai_, and she saw his regal form sitting near the crown of the rock formation they were climbing. Though the monolithic rock was not the highest in the region, Sesshoumaru's handsome features were incredibly heightened by the half-moon which shone on top of his head like a halo. His eyes looked rather melancholy, and Kikyou's heart wished to reach out to him and drive that sadness away, and nor could her eyes remove themselves from the ethereal Lord of the moonlight. 

The miko searched the rock face for possible access to where Sesshoumaru was sitting, and she traced a rough path among the snow-clad rocks with her mind's eye before she set herself into climbing the rock face one more. Putting her feet against cold stone, and her hands against the rough surface, Kikyou managed to painfully hoist herself up and come nearer to Sesshoumaru. He looked at her with an unreadable expression before he said, "You shouldn't be wasting your efforts on an idle _youkai_, as you said." 

Kikyou bit her lips upon recalling the rather rash words she gave to the _taiyoukai_ earlier, and she carefully went around several huge rocks before she said, "Forgive me for my recklessness, Sesshoumaru. I was driven by exhaustion to say those thoughtless words; I am sorry." 

Sesshoumaru made no comment about this, and nor did he change his expression or his stance when Kikyou closed the distance between them and sat down to his right. Deep inside, however, he was resisting the urge to take her hand in his. Her beauty was enhanced by the whiteness of snow, and it has been about a week since she and Kikumo had their duel. Her face was completely smooth again, and her hair crowned her head like a dark veil brimming with enchantment. 

"Will you talk to me, Sesshoumaru?" she asked softly, staring at her hands folded on her lap. She did not look at the Demon Lord, for she might end up revealing her true feelings for the _taiyoukai_ if she saw his face, which so haunted her dreams. 

"What is it that you wish to talk about?" he asked in reply, his amber eyes gazing out at the misty wilderness beyond. Kikyou noted that there wasn't much coldness in his way of speaking. 

"I wish to get to know you," Kikyou replied quietly, her hands constantly folding and unfolding in her lap. The night was cold, but she was oblivious to the cold of winter. "We have been together for weeks now, and all that we have barely been able to see through one another's facade." 

"Is it really that important?" Sesshoumaru asked again, his expression neutral. Kikyou can tell that he wasn't exactly saying no to her request, but he was not entirely happy about it either. 

"Well, if you don't wish to speak of it, it's all right," Kikyou said. Her hand reached for her raven hair, and she ran her fingers through the smooth lock of hair absentmindedly. "I would rather have it that I do not know you completely rather than earn your hate for all my life." 

Sesshoumaru diverted his eyes from the misty landscape to look at Kikyou. The turn of her words suggested that she did not wish to set a rift of hatred between them. Could this mean...? Sesshoumaru shook the thoughts off his mind. Kikyou did not wish anyone to hate her, and this statement of hers did not come as a complete surprise to him. 

"I do not have the reason to hate you, Kikyou," he found himself saying softly. Kikyou looked up from her previous position to hear him use her name in their exchange of words. 

"Don't fool yourself, Sesshoumaru," she replied in a tone that was soft and sad. She recalled the night when he almost killed her in his anger, and she knew that the memory of her witnessing the scene between him and Kikumo will never fade away from his mind. 

"Rather, you shouldn't fool yourself into languishing about things that are only of your imagination," Sesshoumaru replied. Simple as it was, Kikyou got his message that he did not detest her as she had previously thought. 

"I guess you're right," Kikyou said after a moment of thinking. She propped her elbow on her lap and rested her chin on her hand. A cold wind passed over them, and the raven strands of her hair gently interwove with Sesshoumaru's platinum strands in a contrast as the light of high noon and the dark of midnight. Kikyou, becoming uneasy at the silence between them, changed the topic. "Was the Tenseiga of any importance to you, Sesshoumaru?" 

"Given the chance, I would have exchanged the Tenseiga for my father's other sword, which is in the hands of my half-brother," Sesshoumaru immediately said, an air of ambition lacing his words. 

"Even if it meant that you could never bring Rin back to life when she needed it so?" Kikyou asked, a knowing smile gracing her fine features as she looked at Sesshoumaru, anticipating his reaction. 

Kikyou wasn't disappointed. Sesshoumaru was silent and he diverted his eyes from her gaze, trying to hide the expression in his amber eyes. But to Kikyou, that silence spoke of many things. The Tenseiga was important to Sesshoumaru to some extent. And as for Rin, he didn't revive her simply because he saw it as a test for the sword. He cares for the child as much as she does. 

Kikyou removed her gaze from Sesshoumaru to scan the misty landscape spread before them. Though there was nothing interesting to see, she retained the peaceful smile on her face as she said, "Rin is such a wonderful child, endowed with such a caring and cheerful nature. She nursed me back to health after I dueled with Kikumo, did she not? And...Sesshoumaru, were you ever..." Kikyou broke off and lost her smile as she bowed her head. 

Sesshoumaru turned from staring at the nothingness to face Kikyou. "What is it, Kikyou?" he asked, trying to catch a glimpse of her eyes, but her hair hid her mahogany orbs from view. She clearly wanted to say something that made her sad, that troubled her so much. 

"Never mind," Kikyou replied, brushing off her last statement away. She wanted to ask if Sesshoumaru was ever worried about her when she sickened, but she chose otherwise. Why, wasn't his rescue of her from her imprisonment to the tree enough to prove that he cares for her, at least inside? And besides, judging by Sesshoumaru's composed personality, he would not answer her according to how he really felt. 

The Demon Lord did not say anything about Kikyou's troubled mind, but he raised his head to look up at the heavens, searching for any possible star to give him the strength to ask the Priestess a question that troubled him as well. But the sky was covered with a thin sheet of cloud that only permitted the moon to shine through. The light of the stars were shut from the eyes of those on earth. 

"What do you feel about my half-brother, after all these years?" The words slipped from his mouth before he knew it. To why he was asking it to her so freely, he didn't know. But does he have the right to know, really? 

Kikyou's eyes widened a bit before she faced Sesshoumaru again, trying to fathom his reasons about asking such a question, but she couldn't quite understand the emotions in his amber eyes. Though calmness still dominated, there was a hint of unhappiness and strangely, betrayal glazing his eyes. Kikyou could not help remembering the mix of emotions she saw in the same eyes the night when Kikumo took the Tenseiga. 

"If you must know, I still sustain some of my past feelings for your brother," she said slowly, searching for the right words. But no matter, Kikyou did not have the right strength of character to tell the _taiyoukai_ about how she felt for him. 

She was beginning to fall in love with Sesshoumaru, but how will he react to that matter? Could he stand the thought of her, the past lover of his hated brother, to give her heart to him? Will he think that she was only doing it to make Inuyasha jealous, especially now that it was clear that the _hanyou_ feels something for her reincarnation, Kagome? 

Sesshoumaru's heart felt a slight sting of pain, but he kept it to himself. Kikyou...he knew that the haze of his tangled emotions is slowly clearing to one thing: he was falling for the miko, but why? What brought him this far? Kikyou knew he disliked humans, and she would probably stare at him with wonder or even laugh at him if she uncovered his hidden feelings for her. And sweet heavens, will she think that it was only an act to get even with Kikumo's betrayal? Alas, too many questions! 

He thought of his late father, Inutaisho, how he fell in love with a human with Inuyasha as a result. If only he was considerate enough of his father to think that he would also be put in the same situation... 

"But...I am not sure if he's still the prime focus of my heart nowadays," Kikyou's voice barely reached his ears in his musings, but once it did, Sesshoumaru felt his insides jump in a whoop of triumph. So, there is a chance for both of them after all? 

"And I wonder who is that lucky person reigning in your heart by now," Sesshoumaru found himself saying with an edge of sarcasm in his tone. 

"Hmph, lucky person, huh?" Kikyou replied in the same tone. "Bet you're just jealous, Sesshoumaru?" 

"Why would I be jealous, _miko_? Or could it be that _you_ can't stand to stare at my face, woman?" 

"Why would I want to stare at your face, _taiyoukai_? You think you're what I consider desirable? Clear your mind, demon." 

"You difficult woman... _You_ clear your mind! What male would have the spirit to fall for such a challenging human as you?" 

"You sneaky _youkai..._" 

They both stood up at the same time and faced the other to confront the other, but when they found themselves looking into the other's eyes, timidity overcame them both. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened for a second before he twisted his head to face his left. He felt himself going red in the face for the first time since he was the youngster. Kikyou, herself, instinctively diverted her gaze to face her left as well. She felt her cheeks becoming hot as a blush began to form on her face for the first time since she was resurrected. 

Eventually, the awkwardness that came up between them dissipated a bit, and they found the strength to look at one another once more. They saw each other with a trace of a scarlet blush on the face, and Kikyou could not help but raise her sleeve over her face to hide her giggles. Sesshoumaru bit his lips to suppress the same amusement welling up from inside him. Kikyou looked extra-charming with the delicate flush on her cheek. 

When Kikyou became conscious what she was doing, she let out a fake cough to hide her embarrassment and she lowered her sleeve from her face as she said, "Sorry about that, Sesshoumaru." But secretly, she enjoyed the little banter they had at the end of their little heart-to-heart. 

Before Sesshoumaru could reply, he felt cold pinpricks sting his scalp, and when he felt through his silvery hair, the cold feel of snow reached his fingertips. Kikyou, herself, held out one of her hands to catch several of the falling frost. It was another drizzle of snow. 

"We ought to go back to our shelter, Kikyou," Sesshoumaru told her. Though he could stand the cold weather, he did not wish to make Kikyou freeze outside to be with him. 

Kikyou nodded and she made her way down the pinnacle of the rock. Halfway down, she stepped on a weak rock that crumbled under her weight. A soft cry left her mouth as she began to slip down the craggy heights. But she felt as though an electric shock hit her hand as a warm hand immediately reached for one of hers, and she looked up to see Sesshoumaru holding on to her, gently motivating her to pull herself up from the deep abyss. 

Kikyou planted her other hand against the rock and used the leverage to hook herself up. She managed to hook one of her legs over the top of the stone, and once more, she was back up a firm portion of the tall monument. Sesshoumaru, who still did not let go of her hand, then gradually pulled her up from her kneeling position, making her stand up once more. 

"Do I always have to rescue you, miko?" he said, trying to sound irritated, but Kikyou can tell that he secretly liked it. Having said so, he reluctantly let go of his grasp on the miko's hand and motioned for her to go ahead of him so he will be able to catch her in case another of the unfortunate rock slides happened. 

But there was no need for that, as no further accidents followed the rest of their descent, and once more they were back in the little cave. Sesshoumaru had gone back to the shadowed corner of the little chamber, and Kikyou once more lay beside Rin. The Priestess smiled to herself and kissed the hand that Sesshoumaru had held before she went back to sleep, the events of the night playing repeatedly on her head. 

...o0o... 

Aaaaw, isn't the banter between our favorite miko and _taiyoukai_ sweet? ;) 


	12. A Promise of the Stars

**Chapter Eleven: A Promise of the Stars **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** Another chappie! Thank you, Dark Sorceress Arwen for praying that I will defeat my writer's blocks. Hmmm, I envy Kikyou somehow. She saw Sesshy blush! Aaaw, what a lucky girl... T.T And, Motoko Aoyama, they _will_ encounter Inuyasha's group in the future. Whadya think will happen? ;) Ahem, fluff warning in this chapter! 

...o0o... 

The dark shades of night fell over the land. The second day they spent up the rock formation easier than the first one, for Sesshoumaru had led them farther from the crags and they had reached a certain portion of it that was covered in a dense forest of pines. The little company decided to spend the night under an outcrop of the rock for the night. It was not exactly a satisfactory shelter from the cold, but they could not find another cave nearby. The pines that surrounded them offered a thick shade and barred out most of the heavenly lights, thus it was quite gloomy underneath their majesty. 

But the atmosphere between the companions was far from dismal. Kikyou was making animal shadows that stood out clearly in the pure white snow using her hands to entertain Rin. Using Jaken's fire as her light, Kikyou deftly positioned her fingers at ingenious angles and displayed numerous figures of swooping eagles, growling bears and fluttering butterflies. 

"Do you want a bunny, little Rin-chan?" Kikyou asked Rin, who was eating the last of the meat of the quail they had caught in the lowlands. The little girl nodded quickly, eagerly awaiting the next animal that will emerge from the Priestess' hands. 

Kikyou smiled at Rin's enthusiasm, and at once her fingers fell into place and the shadows on the pearly white snow took the form of a little rabbit hopping, its ears twitching gently. Rin clapped her hands with delight, saying, "He's so cute, Priestess Kikyou!" 

The rabbit's shadows then broke apart and metamorphosed into something else. Rin gasped in amazement and said, "Why, it's Jaken-sama!" 

Jaken, who was lying down on top of the sleeping Ah-Un, craned his neck to look at the shadow Kikyou had made. It wasn't really Jaken, but rather, the shadow of a little toad leaping on the snow. The lesser demon grunted and turned around, angrily shutting his large eyes to sleep. Rin let out a series of giggles before she let out a yawn. Kikyou then broke the toad shadow as she reached out to pat the little girl's hair, saying softly, "It's time to sleep, Rin." 

Rin nodded, her eyes beginning to droop sleepily. Wordlessly, she snuggled into her sleeping bag. Kikyou stooped over the child and kissed her forehead like a doting mother. Rin muttered a good night greeting and went to sleep almost at once. She seems to have been worn out by the excitements of the day. 

A loud snore filled the otherwise quiet air of the rugged land. Jaken had fallen asleep, his mouth wide open. It was very tempting to fill that gaping toad mouth with rocks, but Kikyou simply smiled to herself and crept among the dry rocks of the outcropping to sleep. Not exactly the most comfortable of all sleeping places, but at least it was dry and not as cold as snow. 

Kikyou spared a glance at the silent figure of Sesshoumaru, who was sitting near the very top of the rocky outcrop. He had not talked at all for much of the day, but the miko let herself overlook it. She did not mind Sesshoumaru's coldness as much as she would before; she had at last seen through the seemingly indifferent outlook of his, and she felt more at home in his presence. 

"Still alive, Sesshoumaru?" she called out in a soft voice to him, not expecting a reply. She froze when she heard him speak. 

His eyes immediately flashed in her direction. In the dim light, Kikyou saw his lips curving upwards in a smirk as he replied, "Healthy as can be, miko." Kikyou's body relaxed as she smiled back and rested her head against a stone to use as a pillow. In a few moments, she was in a peaceful slumber. 

Sesshoumaru did not lose the smirk on his face even as Kikyou fell asleep. He had watched her play with Rin beside the campfire, and he observed the unusual happiness in her eyes. He was sure that it had got something to do with their little banter the previous night, and the silver-haired youkai wondered if they will ever repeat that lighthearted teasing again. He secretly enjoyed it, and he longed to feel her hand in his again. 

Sesshoumaru understood by now that if ever Kikyou had a definite weakness, it would be children. He sighed deeply and lost his smile. How painful it must be for Kikyou, for as long as she resided in that clay body, she could never bear a child of her own. She could never be a mother, for her duty as the Guardian of the Shikon Jewel prevented her for being such. 

'If she adores Rin this much, what more would she give her own children?' 

...o0o... 

Kikyou found herself waking at midnight once more. Sesshoumaru had left his post on the rock and was now walking into the dense pine forest surrounding them. Not to throw away yet another chance to be alone with the Demon Lord, the beautiful Priestess at once shook the trappings of sleep away from her body and immediately crawled down the rocks, desperate to catch up with the retreating figure of Sesshoumaru. 

His sharp ears immediately caught the sound of her feet scraping against the rough rock and the pounding of her sandals on soft snow. Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks calmly turned to meet Kikyou, but he was quite unprepared for what will befall to his senses when she collided with him in her eagerness. 

Kikyou, running nearly at her full speed, had failed to notice a slightly raised tree root in the snow. She tripped over the rough pine root, and her body pummeled Sesshoumaru at full force. Before either of them knew it, they were rolling down the snow-clad incline, her hair entangling in his clawed fingers and his furry wrap falling off his shoulder in the confusion. 

In a few seconds, the intertwined figures of the Sesshoumaru and Kikyou fell to a stop when the incline leveled out slightly. Dazed and confused, Sesshoumaru raised his head from the snow. He found out that his remaining arm was pinned under Kikyou's head, cushioning her head from a possible break. The left sleeve of his kimono and several locks of his platinum hair had fallen over her face, and his amber eyes widened slightly to see her left hand over the armor of his chest. 

"Kikyou, are you all right?" he found himself saying. For a brief moment, he was worried that their impact on the snowy ground had caused her unnecessary damage, but his short-lived fear was driven away when Kikyou gently pulled his sleeve and the random platinum locks from her face with her right hand to reveal a sweetly smiling mouth and apologetic mahogany orbs. Her raven hair was dotted here and there by flecks of snow, but amidst her disheveled state, she still looked extremely charming to Sesshoumaru. 

'So beautiful,' he thought in his mind, but he kept the thought to himself. Instead, he smirked and said to her, "So much for the grace of human mikos." 

Kikyou's eyes then fell on her left hand, and Sesshoumaru noted the flush that overcame her face when she hurriedly withdrew her hand from his chest. She struggled to get up, but his fur had wrapped around their torsos and their legs at random places, thus preventing her from moving much. Furthermore, numerous locks of her hair were twined around his remaining hand. 

Not wishing to pull her hair off her scalp, Sesshoumaru gently disentangled his fingers from her hair as Kikyou unwrapped his silken fur from her waist and wriggled her legs out of the remaining coils that bound her corporally to the Demon Lord. 

When the last strands of her hair was freed from his fingers and her head was no longer pinning his arm against the snow, Sesshoumaru stood up and disentangled his fur from his legs. After smoothing the tangle off his furry pelt, he slung it over his right shoulder in his usual fashion. Kikyou, kneeling on the snow, hand-combed her raven hair until it became orderly once more. 

"You were lucky to miss the blade of the Toukijin," he remarked as he readjusted the hilt of his remaining sword to fit comfortably on his waist. Kikyou glanced at the sword. It had no scabbard at all, unlike the Tenseiga. She gave an involuntary shiver when she realized that she could have been wounded unintentionally by the sword or even by the spikes of Sesshoumaru's armor in the fall. 

Kikyou's hands left her hair and she bowed her head as whispered softly, "I apologize, Sesshoumaru. I never intended to do that." 

The _taiyoukai_ let out a low snort. He took hold of one of her hands and gently pulled her up. Once she was standing, he placed a finger under her chin and gradually raised her head to meet his eyes. "Who says you did?" he replied half-teasingly. 

Kikyou looked deeply into Sesshoumaru's amber eyes and she found herself becoming lost in them. Sesshoumaru, himself, seemed to take his time gazing into her mahogany orbs. He lightly brushed off a flake of snow from the crown of her hair as she asked, "What are you up to all this time?" 

"I was searching for a break among the pines," said he. "The sky ought to be clear enough so the stars can be seen. Do you wish to come with me?" 

Kikyou smiled and her fingers reached out to tenderly stroke a silken lock of his silvery hair. "That would be lovely." 

Sesshoumaru nodded serenely and they set out to walk side by side among the trees. It was quite dark, but his platinum hair shone as though it had caught the light of the moon in its strands. Unknown to either of them, both were actually debating whether or not to reach out and hold the other's hand. Just then, they came to a portion of the snowy crag that was devoid of trees, exposing the skies above. There was an open cliff spreading before them, giving them a wide view of the snowy wilderness that shone silver in the moonlight. No cloud or mist was obscuring the stars or the half moon from their view, and the ethereal blend of snow and sky gave the landscape a very peaceful feel. 

The Demon Lord sat down on a large stone near the edge of the cliff, and Kikyou sat down beside him, on his right. Together, they gazed up at the night sky and took in the clear glittering of the tiny diamonds in the heavens. It was absolutely beautiful to behold. 

"I used to tell my sister Kaede my own little story on how I thought the stars came to be," Kikyou said softly, recalling the times she gazed up at the stars in her first life. The story began to emerge from her thoughts as she searched her memories. "There was a girl, a celestial being who was immortal and beautiful beyond words. She had a mortal lover, a human soldier. They met one clear night when the moon was at its last quarter..." Kikyou then broke off when she realized what she was doing. 

"Why did you stop?" Sesshoumaru asked, looking at her face curiously. Kikyou's eyes widened for a second and locked her gaze with his. She didn't know that he was listening. 

"Never mind," she muttered sadly. "Nobody would be interested about the foolish made-up tale of a Tragic Priestess on how the stars came to be..." 

Sesshoumaru, however, surprised her with his answer. "Nobody? What will you do, Priestess, if I, Sesshoumaru, say that I wish to hear your little tale?" Kikyou can see the sincerity in his amber orbs as he said the words. 

"I have your permission to continue, then?" 

"Do so, by all means." 

Kikyou smiled and looked up at the stars once more. "They met one night. It was clear and the wind smelled of fragrant flowers, though the moon is but a sickle in the sky. The girl had descended from her holy abodes to admire the wonders of the earth: the rivers, the flowers and the trees that they did not have in the sky world. It was on this moment that a human soldier, wounded and weary from war, came across her, who dazzled there like a fallen star. She healed his wounds, drove away his weariness, and loved him. The soldier loved her as well, even if he knew that she was a heavenly princess not subject to the death of mortals like him. 

In time, he was summoned once more to war, and he bade the beautiful girl farewell, promising that they would meet again. The celestial girl waited even as the years came by, and her lover never came back. He had died in the war and had passed to the Other Side. 

At first she could not accept the truth. She wandered aimlessly throughout the world, and when she never found her love, she went back to the heavens to muse upon her sorrows forevermore, knowing that she could never die. In her flight back to the sky world, she shed tears, which fell upon the curtains of the sky and upon the clouds, and became the stars." 

Kikyou then sighed. "Forgive me if I bored you to death, Sesshoumaru. It was only a made-up one, after all." 

Sesshoumaru's lips broke into a sincere smile and he replied, "It was a poignant one, Kikyou. I know of two beings that are very much like your celestial woman and human soldier, who also met in a night under the crescent moon, when the air smelled fragrant and the skies were clear." 

Kikyou glanced at Sesshoumaru. "Who is this couple?" 

Sesshoumaru's face was enigmatic. So was his answer. "They're my mother and my father." 

Before she could react, however, Kikyou saw her body glowing white. Alas, why had the souls in her body chosen this time to be released from her clay body? She was about to stand up when she felt Sesshoumaru's hand over hers. Her _shinidamachuu_ began appearing in the thin air, new souls in their claws. 

"I know you don't wish to see me like this, Sesshoumaru," she said, looking into his amber eyes. His face was illuminated by the same light that lit up her body. A white point of light came out of her arm, but was immediately replaced by another one as a Soul-snatching demon floated by. 

"No, just stay here, Kikyou," he replied, his hand giving hers an affectionate and pleading squeeze. The miko nodded and she returned his hold on her hand with a gentle squeeze. Kikyou could see that he was saddened by the mere thought of his parents, and he changed the subject immediately. 

"Do you ever feel guilt at having to get another's soul for your own?" he asked her. 

Kikyou heaved another sigh and she nodded. "I don't wish to live like this, Sesshoumaru. I am neither dead nor living. I have no body, no soul...no future." 

Sesshoumaru can see that part of her wanted to cry right then and there, but she held back her emotions. "Is there not a way for you to have a body and soul without your reincarnation having to give up her own?" He loved her...her pain was his as well, and he would give his all to make it go away. 

"No, there is no way," Kikyou said sadly as numerous souls began to leave her body one after the other. Her pet _shinidamachuu_, however, made sure that for every escaping soul, a new soul was absorbed by their mistress' clay body. "That is, except perhaps in the Shikon jewel. Perhaps, if I manage to purify it, the Four Souls might take pity on me and restore my body and my soul without taking life from my reincarnation. But that's only a big maybe, Sesshoumaru. I have been living on hate and pain far too long, and I don't know if that may still come to pass..." 

"You speak as though there is no hope for your revival," Sesshoumaru said. Most of the old souls in Kikyou's clay body had been replaced by new ones. Gradually, the light that illuminated the miko's body began to fade until her skin took on its regular hue again. Her body completely filled with new souls, she sent her _shinidamachuu_ away. "I will gladly follow you into Naraku's lair if it would mean helping you attain this." 

"You don't know what you're talking about, Sesshoumaru," Kikyou muttered. She had been betrayed and toyed with throughout her whole life. She had heard variations of those words a thousand times...promises that were never intended to be kept... 

"I am not that coward Naraku, or my foolish _hanyou_ brother," Sesshoumaru countered her. His hand left hers and went up to cup her cheek gently. "You have the very permission to banish my soul to hell if I did not follow you to the very end." 

"Don't weave your own web of doom..." Kikyou whispered, her heart beating wildly to hear him say this. She loved him...she could never let him rot in a mixed dimension for all eternity...oh, how her heart will break if he spends his life in misery just to be with her... 

"Kikyou," Sesshoumaru said in such a gentle tone that she looked at him with utter amazement. His eyes, the expression on his face! They spoke of benevolence, of a promise. Only once had she seen him like this, back in the night of Kikumo's betrayal. "If doom is your destiny, let me share it with you." 

Kikyou's lip trembled. She can hardly believe that he was the same Sesshoumaru, the cold Sesshoumaru who rescued her from the Red _Shinidamachuu_...he who was betrayed by his past love...he who once detested her for seeing him in his weakness... No, he does not hate her! There is a chance for the two of them! She closed her eyes and flung her arms around his neck, saying repeatedly, "You foolish demon! You would forsake your own life for a miko who lives only a half-life!" But as she buried her face against his neck, she was actually smiling out of pure joy. She was not alone after all. 

Sesshoumaru's amber eyes widened slightly at Kikyou's unlooked-for action. Gradually, a smile began to form on his lips and he wrapped his one arm around her shaking form only moments before she broke their brief embrace. 

"From this time on, Sesshoumaru, would you please call me by my true name?" she asked shyly. 

"Gladly, Kikyou," he replied. She wrapped her own arms around his remaining arm and rested her head against his soft pelt. He did not even resist for one moment. 

Their eyes met, and the words of a promise were put into their hearts by the mere glance. 

'I have suffered because I loved, but I am eager to suffer once more, for you, no matter what the cost.' 

...o0o... 

I took obvious reference from my poem 'Firelight' for the last line. If you haven't read it in full, you may want to take a look at it. 


	13. The New Dawn Breaks the Dark Clouds

**Chapter Twelve: The New Dawn Breaks the Dark Clouds **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** Hi, people! Well, I received a question as to why Sesshy can't use the Tenseiga to restore Kikyou. Well, here's the answer: I read from random sites that the Healing Fang can only restore life _if_:

a. The person has a soul (Kikyou has no soul, remember? One site even stated that the sword might even kill her because it will force the souls out of her body.)  
b. There is a body! (I don't know if Kikyou's clay-and-bones body is agreeable to Tenseiga's terms...)

/Sigh/ I was rather **exhausted** the past days because of my badminton lessons, so please be considerate. Though my body had adapted considerably, I could hardly move the right portion of my torso and legs during the first days. T.T''

...o0o...

When Kikyou awoke the next day, she raised one of her eyebrows to feel the soft fur brushing her face in a gentle ticklish caress. She saw her arms looped around Sesshoumaru's only arm, and the memories of the past night flooded back to her mind. They were sitting with their backs against the trunk a stately pine tree, and the rock on which they gazed up at the twinkling stars was a few meters from them.

She glanced up at Sesshoumaru, whose features were relaxed as though in a deep sleep, but apparently he felt her stir. At once, his amber eyes blinked open and met her mahogany orbs. Though his face was impassive, the gentle squeeze he gave her hand was enough to give himself away.

"It all happened last night, then," Kikyou whispered almost inaudibly, but Sesshoumaru had no trouble hearing her words due to his sharp sense of hearing. "I thought it was but a dream."

"Don't go on thinking that it was all an illusion," Sesshoumaru replied. "It was reality."

"Did you really mean those words you told me?" Kikyou asked, resting her head once more against his furry pelt.

"Do you doubt me, Kikyou?" he asked in turn. Though he wasn't exactly challenging her, Kikyou knew by the tone of his voice that he was serious.

"No, I don't doubt you, Sesshoumaru," she replied after a moment of silence. "Nor do I have the reason to."

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly, hearing the sincerity in her words. He then gazed at the winter wasteland spreading beyond the cliff. Sunrise was near, and soon the mist would lift. They had better get going.

"We have to go back to our companions," he said, soothingly detaching his arm from Kikyou's hold and standing up as only a _youkai_ Prince could.

Kikyou nodded before she reluctantly let go of him. She once more marveled at the fluid motion of his movements as she walked beside Sesshoumaru up the snowy incline back to their camp.

"I wonder what Kikumo and Naraku are now planning against us," Kikyou said quietly. She slid a few feet back when the snow became too slippery, but Sesshoumaru at once held onto her arm and pulled her up. Her face paled slightly, knowing how clumsy she looked in comparison to the Demon Lord.

"If Kikumo decides to attack us again, I will not hesitate to return to my old words back in the Western Lands. I will finish her off once and for all," Sesshoumaru replied bitterly as he let go of her arm and carried on up the slope. Kikyou, amidst her hate for the Deer demoness, could not help but shiver at his utter coldness. "And I shall regain my Tenseiga," he added as an afterthought.

"You care for that sword after all; don't you, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou remarked. At this he was silent and turned away. Deep inside, he was sorry that the Healing Fang could not help her become a normal human being again. The souls that inhabit her clay body are not hers; therefore, Tenseiga would force the souls out of her and restore them individually, but never Kikyou.

Kikyou noticed the faraway look on his face and she knew what Sesshoumaru was thinking about. She reached out to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her sadly as he thought through the harsh path fate had for the Priestess.

"All things have their limits," she said to comfort him. "And some things just have to be left in the hands of the Creator."

Sesshoumaru managed to smile slightly, and Kikyou knew that he let her convince him.

...o0o...

Laughing, Rin ran on the white snow as though she was free of all the cares of the world. They were close to descending the tall pinnacle of rock, but the paths Sesshoumaru followed were a lot easier than their paths of ascent. Instead of following ledges along the edge of the cold stone, they followed a small snow-laden trail hidden among the rocks, which eventually opened to a wide flat space on the rock. They have proceeded so quickly that Sesshoumaru allowed them to have a break at the middle of the day.

Behind Rin trailed the quieter, yet no less happy figure of Kikyou. She hadn't worn her hair in a loose ponytail since Kikumo attacked her, and her raven locks shone like liquid black against her shoulders. Silently, the Priestess tapped the shoulder of the little girl and placed a finger over her lips in a request to keep quiet.

Rin instantly obeyed, though she looked at the miko with puzzlement in her childish eyes. Kikyou seemed to smile mischievously and she pointed at the figure of Jaken, who was sitting on a stone nearby with his back on them. Rin observed as Kikyou gathered a handful of snow in her hands and shaped it into a ball. Gradually, her chocolate brown eyes widened in understanding, and Kikyou crouched quietly and prepared to throw the snowball at the unknowing toady demon.

Unfortunately, Rin's giggles, no matter how hard she tried to conceal them, made the lesser demon look behind and duck the snowball that was aimed for him just in time.

"Hey, that wasn't funny!" Jaken exclaimed, waving the Staff of Heads over his head in an angry fashion. But all that it gave him was another snowball, this time from Rin, which missed him a mere few inches.

At once, a little pandemonium arose in the otherwise quiet wilderness as Jaken ran through the snow, to be pursued by snowballs of Rin and Kikyou. But for all their efforts and Kikyou's uncanny skill in shooting with her arrows, not one snowball had landed on the little demon.

"Tricky little thing, are you?" Kikyou muttered under her breath as she shot another ball of snow at Jaken, who jumped behind some rocks, narrowly missing the hit. Rin immediately ran after him, and he abandoned his brief hiding place to evade the child with a snowball in hand.

"Come on, Jaken-sama, don't be shy!" Rin laughingly remarked as she threw the cold snow in Jaken's direction, but for his size, the little toady demon was quick, and in time he began to exhaust his pursuers without having to make a single flake of snow land on him.

"Ha, give up already?" he cackled, taunting Rin and Kikyou, who were sitting on the snowy ground and catching their breaths. Jaken stood upon the stone where he originally sat before Kikyou introduced their little game, one hand on the side of his waist as the other grasped his staff. "None yet of your silly snowballs had made their way to me, and you're tired already? Can you do no better than that? No matter what you do, not a single snowball shall hit-"

Jaken was stopped before he can finish his last sentence. A huge snowball hit him right then and there right smack on the head, knocking him off the rock. Kikyou and Rin stared at the figure of Jaken lying sprawled on the snow, his head hidden from view by the large snowball. As one, they broke out laughing.

"Rin didn't do it, Priestess Kikyou," Rin said between bouts of laughter.

"Neither did I," Kikyou replied.

"Then who threw that freaking snowball!" Jaken demanded, digging his head out of the huge mass of snow.

"Look behind you, and you'll see the answer," Kikyou said.

Rin and Jaken followed the eyes of the beautiful Priestess, and the child smiled to see the answer. The silver-haired figure sitting among the larger rocks was no other than their Lord Sesshoumaru, and he was staring at his remaining hand. There were traces of snow on his clawed fingers.

"Yay! Sesshoumaru-sama is so good! Neither Priestess Kikyou nor Rin was able to snowball Jaken!" Rin excitedly said, jumping up and down with utter amusement.

Sesshoumaru's face, however, remained as expressionless as before. He stood up and said, "Come, we have tarried here too long. We have to resume our journey now."

Rin nodded obediently and helped Jaken up from the snow. He in turn motioned for her to mount Ah-Un and at once took off after Sesshoumaru.

Kikyou stood up as well and brushed off the few flecks of snow from her pants and collected her weapons from among the rocks. To Rin and Jaken's surprise, she walked past them and strode beside Sesshoumaru, who halted for a while to let her catch up with him. Kikyou walked beside the Demon Lord throughout the rest of their journey, and though they spoke only rarely, the occasional, almost unnoticeable glances their eyes gave one another proved enough to let each other know that they were all right.

...o0o...

Kikyou's eyes fluttered open in the wee hours of morning after quite a good sleep. They set camp for the night beneath another grove of evergreens due to the lack of rock outcrops and caves, and she chose to sleep among the main branches of a large cedar to escape the cold snow-covered ground.

Sitting up on her leafy perch, the Priestess woke up just in time to see some faint reddish streaks radiating from the eastern horizon. It was dawn, and she could not help but be mesmerized by the rugged beauty of the landscape which was further enhanced by the red tinges of the coming sunrise.

Carefully and silently, Kikyou made her way down the tree. Once the soles of her sandals touched the white snow among the tree's roots, she let her hand stroke the strong trunk as though to thank the evergreen for letting her sleep among its branches. Kikyou breathed in the scent of the fragrant cedar wood before her hand left the tree. As quietly as possible, she walked on the snowy ground to catch a better view of the sunrise from a nearby cliffside.

She stole a glance at her companions before going. Rin was asleep in her sleeping bag beside the dying flames of their fire. Jaken's loud snore assured her that the toady demon was asleep as well on a slumbering Ah-Un's back.

It took her a few moments more to locate Sesshoumaru. He was barely visible beneath the shadows of the large pine on whose roots he was sitting on. The Demon Prince's amber eyes were closed, though Kikyou was uncertain if he was really asleep or not. If he heard Kikyou descend the tree, he was not particularly troubled by her.

Kikyou smiled to see Sesshoumaru in such a peaceful state. She had long accepted that fact that she loved him, but she was unsure if he felt the same way for her. Sure, Sesshoumaru was extremely kind to her the past nights (she inwardly blushed to realize that she and the _taiyoukai_ had been spending their own private time together, unbeknownst to their other companions) to the point that he tolerated her embrace and her grief-shrouded character. But to him, was she only an acquaintance, an ally to defeat Naraku and Kikumo? Oh, in the Holy One's name...Kikumo…

Kikyou flinched and lost her smile at the thought of the Deer Demoness. Had Sesshoumaru fully let go of her? Or were his words of resentment for the other _youkai_ only an act to further hide his feelings...to further hide the truth that he still loves Kikumo?

The miko shook her head and continued her way to the cliff. 'I have experienced love enough to know that a part of one's old heart still remains even if a new one replaces it,' she thought. 'Even if destiny made it that Sesshoumaru grew to love me as well, I know that Kikumo will never be obliterated from his heart...the way the memory of Inuyasha will forever be in my mind.'

Just as her solemn figure disappeared behind a few trees, amber eyes gradually opened and came to rest on her footprints with a thought in mind.

...o0o...

'Where are you going, Kikyou?' Sesshoumaru thought to himself. He was not really asleep as others would have thought, but rather, meditating on the sounds of the universe. He had heard her footfalls on the snow, but he only opened his eyes when the trees obscured the sound of her feet pounding against the snow. She must have gone quite a distance away, and only then did Sesshoumaru shed his being stationary and stood up to go after her.

His heart longed for her...amidst his past thinking that he will never fall in love again after Kikumo's betrayal, he was in love with Kikyou. She had revealed much of herself to Sesshoumaru the past days, and had even embraced him once. But does her fondness for him only end there? Does she think that he sees her only as an acquaintance?

The questions were repeatedly echoing in his mind even as he walked past the trees where Kikyou had gone, and the Demon Lord struggled to think of a way to let the Priestess know. No longer did he care even if she wouldn't return his feelings. No, he didn't care even if she loved his half-brother once. No longer did he care even if he would have to bear all the sufferings and torments of her half-life. He would bear them with her.

He was still thinking even as the grove gave way to an open cliff. The one whom he wished so much to take in his embrace was there, looking out into the glowing eastern horizon. Her dark hair made a stunning contrast with the lightening sky. The broad band of stars we know as the Milky Way was still visible in the heavens, and so was the clear shine of the Morning Star. They encircled the head of the Priestess with a wondrous light, and Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks, enchanted by the beauty of her, the beautiful Tragic Miko.

Apparently, Kikyou heard him coming, for she slowly turned about and her dark mahogany eyes met his golden eyes in a quiet yet soothing gesture. Kikyou's heart missed a beat to see Sesshoumaru there. Sesshoumaru...he, for whom she would gladly surrender what life resides within her body for his love, was there. In the darkness of their surroundings, his platinum hair seemed to shine with a light of its own and his amber orbs held her gaze captive in their spell.

Miko and _taiyoukai_, dark of midnight and light of morn, sun and moon...the world around them was silenced and seemed to hold its breath to anticipate the motion of the two unknowing lovers. Kikyou could not help but recall a similar moment when their gazes met and their hearts wondered about the other's motives: when she first offered her allegiance to him in the field of wildflowers that autumn noon. It seemed so long ago, yet at the same time so familiar...

The seemingly endless silence came to an end when Kikyou smiled and said quietly, "I used to waken and follow you in your midnight strolls; now it seems our ways have reversed."

Sesshoumaru's mouth curved up in a little grin and he replied, "Reversed they may be, but nonetheless unchanged. We still move out of our usual paths just to be with one another; just the two of us."

The pulse of his words colored Kikyou's cheeks with a faint tint of red, but she did not lose her sweet smile. Sesshoumaru bridged the distance between them and stood beside her, watching as the scarlet streaks in the horizon brightened as the minutes came by. They did not hold their hands together, but their mere togetherness already spoke much.

"You wished to see the dawn," Sesshoumaru said understandingly.

Kikyou nodded. "Perhaps, in the rising of the sun, a new hope will also rise for us." She was silent for a few moments before she said, "I wish to ask you something, Sesshoumaru."

His eyes glanced at her for a moment. "What is it, Kikyou?"

She sighed, but it took her quite a long while for her to say the words. "I know I am digging up events from the past, but...why exactly did you save me from the Red _Shinidamachuu_?"

Sesshoumaru was silent for a while as he pondered on her question. The memories of that night returned to him...how he had seen Kikyou in grave danger and had dispatched of her pursuer right then and there. And how she smiled at him for the first time...

"I don't wish to see you die, Kikyou," he whispered, averting his gaze from her as he turned to look at the brightening horizon once more.

"...You don't?" Kikyou said in the same whispery tone, her sense of comprehension kind of shocked by his action. But...he tried to kill her once, did he not?

Sesshoumaru knew what she was thinking of. He gently took her hand and squeezed it gently to prove his sincerity. "I did not understand myself back then," he said, answering her unasked question. "I let pride guide my every step during those times, and that pride caused me to harbor anger against you for the wrong things."

But Kikyou was silent. She bowed her head as an expression of grief spread over her eyes. "Are you still angry at me, Sesshoumaru, for having seen you with Kikumo?"

"Kikyou, please look at me," he said in reply. She reluctantly turned her head to meet his. The edges of her eyes were ringed with droplets of unshed tears. He let go of her hand to gently cup her cheek. "I admit that I once held that as a fault against you, but hear me. I no longer am angry with you, because for every moment that passes with me holding a grudge against you, a shadow is cast over my own heart."

The beautiful miko treasured his words inside her very heart, and she gently covered his hand with hers in a gesture of warmth. At this, she made the decision to speak out what her heart felt.

"And for every moment that passes without you knowing what I feel about you casts a dark cloud of grief over my being," she said slowly, letting the words roll out of her tongue like the sweetest honey. Her other hand reached out to brush a few platinum locks from his eyes. "My heart is no longer bound to the past. It no longer resides in betrayal and lies. My heart is yours, Sesshoumaru. Yours, forever."

Silence reigned for like an eternity. Mahogany eyes remained locked with amber as she waited for his reaction. Kikyou no longer cared if she was a human and him a demon. No, she doesn't care even of what others might say. She no longer cared if he could not love her back. What matters was that she loved him, truly and with all her heart.

At her words, Sesshoumaru's heart leaped out of pure bliss. He felt as though all his doubts and worries disappeared in an instant. Speechless, he looked deeply into Kikyou's hopeful eyes and saw pure love burning within the dark pools. His entire world temporarily stopped spinning, for he knew that he felt the same way for her.

"Likewise, I entrust to you my heart for all eternity...my Kikyou," he whispered, his remaining hand gently stroking her raven locks. No words were enough to express his love for her, but his beloved needed no words to know. Slowly, he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side and neared his face to Kikyou. She closed her eyes and tilted her head as well as their faces came closer to one another.

At that moment, the sun broke through from its hiding place in the horizon, and in the snowy cliff that was almost unnoticeable in the huge pinnacle of snow-clad rock, the gentle rays of sunlight fell upon Kikyou and Sesshoumaru, who were together, lips, hearts and essence, as they finally found the words that granted them joy and contentment beyond words.

Wandering hearts, previously unhappy and restless, sang as they finally found love in one another.

...o0o...

Pale hands left the koto strings and the vision playing before the eyes of the Demoness was extinguished in an instant. The Hiroko Kama in its koto form could enable her to spy on her enemies by means of a tune that gives her visions on her hapless victims' whereabouts.

"So, the Tragic Miko and the Lord of the Western Lands do feel something for one another," Kikumo muttered to herself. Her hair was loose of from its plait, and her shoulders, marred by ugly weals and burns that have not yet healed from Kikyou's fire were bare. "This will make it a great deal easier for us..."

Furiously, the Deer _youkai_ pulled her chrysanthemum-tipped hair stick from her hair and plunged it on the snow. At once, a medicinal herb shot out of the pure white snow and she gently pulled its leaves from the mother plant and crushed them in her hands, forming a pungent paste. This paste she daubed on her sore shoulders, and she flinched at the momentary pain it caused her. The Priestess will pay for having caused her to suffer this much...

The pain on her shoulders eased as the numbing quality of the herb began to take effect. But amidst the lessening of the pain, tears began to well up from Kikumo's deep green eyes. Reverently, she took the Tenseiga from where it hung on her waist and she clutched it close to her.

"My hate, have I let go, and my love have I let prevail, it would have been me in his embrace instead of her..."

And salty droplets of tears began to fall on the scabbard of the Sword of Life as Kikumo held the memento of her past love close to her heart.

...o0o...

Whaaa! I did it, I did it; I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT! I hope it all made up for the long delay. My muse was going on-off, on-off, and I could only do so much as to type up a scene a day. Luckily, my arms are no longer sore from playing badminton, and I am perfectly fine again. ;)

P.S. I made a wallpaper of the final scene between Kiky and Sesshy. If you wish to see it, copy this link and remove the spaces: http:  
/  
/img. photobucket. com/ albums/ v623/ lethearion/ SunriseA. jpg


	14. A Blossom Growing from the Snow

**Chapter Thirteen: A Blossom Growing from the Snow **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** WOW, I just went for a three-day vacation after I posted the last chapter only to find out that my reviews had BOOMED! O.O Thank you all, guys! You made me enthusiastic again, considering that I have gone so far now...I never managed to finish up a fic with more than seven chapters before... 

And, for hipkid727, I did not draw Sesshy and Kiky for the wallpaper (I am not _that_ good...u.u). I searched the net for pics of Kikyou and Sesshoumaru that dovetailed for a kiss and manipulated them in Microsoft PhotoDraw. I haven't Adobe Photoshop, so I use that program anyways. 

...o0o... 

A light breeze began to waft among the trees, sending the branches and leaves shivering in their cold. The sun had fully risen from the horizon, driving away the mist that once enveloped the forms of Kikyou and Sesshoumaru. Both of them cursed the sun in their minds for depriving them of the barrier that shielded them from others' eyes. 

Breaking away from the kiss, Kikyou wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru possessively, burying her face within the hollow of his neck against his soft pelt. The _taiyoukai_ himself wrapped his single arm around the Priestess and rested his head against hers, breathing in the scent of her fragrant hair and invigorating his senses. For long they stood there embraced and breathing in the scent of each another, oblivious to whatsoever happenings are taking place in the world around them. For that time, their only world was one another. 

"Kikyou..." The miko felt his throat rumble as Sesshoumaru whispered her name. She noted the intense emotions lacing his voice: love, joy, hope, contentment, passion, sadness...all mixed up in a single name. 

"Sesshoumaru..." she replied in the same intense yet whispery tone. Kikyou raised her head slightly and met the amber eyes of her beloved. Inside their hearts, much still remains that they want to express to one another, emotions that in the poverty of language still has no words. But all that they needed was gaze into the other's eyes to know what lies within. 

Kikyou's lips curved up into a smile as Sesshoumaru kissed her forehead with utter gentleness. His clawed hand, which could put an end to an enemy's existence with a mere slash or with a single spray of poison, worked tenderly to caress the crown of her head, his fingers running along the smooth raven strands of her hair. 

"Now I understand why I really wished to offer my allegiance to you," Kikyou said, moving a pale hand up his face to soothingly touch his smooth forehead, her fingers lingering for a long time on the Prussian blue crescent in a loving gesture. 

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding. He was smiling softly as he said, "Now I know the reason why I found myself saving your life for numerous times." 

"We have loved each other all along," Kikyou agreed. Her mahogany eyes then stared at the bright star of day that had begun its journey across the sky as it had countless morns in the past. "Do you intend to keep this a secret, Sesshoumaru?" 

The Demon Prince sighed forlornly. He cupped his beloved's cheek in his one hand, hoping that she will comprehend. "Inasmuch as I wish to love you openly, my Kikyou, these times are dark. It will break both our hearts if the enemy uses our own emotions against us. If our fiends find out that we do love each other, they will seek to plant hate into our hearts and destroy our bond." 

Kikyou closed her eyes to hide her distress, but she nodded, for she understood what he was trying to say. Both of them had experienced the wicked ways of their enemy that causes division be it among the masses or even between one and one's own soul. 

"I hate it to pretend that I don't love you," Kikyou answered. She took his hand and clasped it tightly. "But we must realize by now that only when Naraku is vanquished and all his evil influences driven from these lands can we truly be together." Her mahogany eyes opened and looked up at Sesshoumaru once more. 

"Then let us not waste time," Sesshoumaru said after a moment of silence. Giving Kikyou's hand an affectionate squeeze, he breathed in deeply the cold winter air and his eyes flashed in determination. "We shall pursue Naraku and defeat him along with his minions." His voice, previously fierce, became mellow and mild as he continued on the next string of words. "Are you with me, Kikyou?" 

"I am, my Sesshoumaru," Kikyou replied, sparing his cheek a quick yet tender kiss. "I am, and will always be." 

No further words were needed. 

Quietly, the two lovers made their way back to their other companions. As they walked around the bend of trees, they looked into each other's eyes in a gesture of encouragement and grasped one another's hand hopefully before they parted for the time being. 

...o0o... 

Pulling her hair gently from her face, Kikyou got hold of her white ribbon and tied her hair once more in a loose ponytail. It was midday, and they had totally descended the monolithic rock formation into the evergreen forest below. Rin, though she didn't say it out loud, was hungry again, and Kikyou once more set out to hunt with the child by her side. The Priestess could not help but remember the days of her past life when her little sister Kaede always followed her on her heels and thus learned how to use the archer's bow as well. 

Agilely, Kikyou wove in and out of the trees with an ordinary arrow on her bow, searching for an edible fowl or some other animal that Rin could eat. At least she had something to occupy herself; inasmuch as she longed to be beside her beloved, Sesshoumaru had made it clear that they ought to keep their relationship a secret for the time being. She wondered how he could stand such a torture. Suddenly, Rin began tugging at her sleeve urgently, pointing to a certain place in the forest. 

"Look, there's a deer over there, Kikyou-sama!" the little girl said. 

The miko immediately drew the arrow to the fullest and assumed her fighting stance. A deer? Since they had encountered Kikumo, a deer _youkai_, Kikyou had looked upon the elusive and generally peaceful animals of the woods differently, for they unconsciously reminded her of Sesshoumaru's old lover who betrayed them to Naraku. Is this Kikumo in her deer form? 

Thankfully, the doe that met Kikyou's eyes was an ordinary deer. The silent animal lacked the ring of yellow ochre fur wrapped around its neck and upper front shanks or the two sharp black arcs above the eyes that marked the Demoness' deer form. Furthermore, its eyes were of a soft brown, and not Kikumo's dark green. The doe gracefully turned its head in their direction before running away into the forest. 

Rin sighed happily. "She's such a pretty deer, Kikyou-sama!" 

Kikyou's body lost its tenseness and she lowered her bow once more. She had expected the worst. "Indeed, Rin," the Priestess replied. "The doe was certainly pretty, and a lot gentler than a certain enemy of ours who could take on their form." 

"Who is this enemy, Priestess Kikyou?" Rin asked, looking up at Kikyou with an inquisitive look in her chocolate brown eyes. 

"Someone you don't have to know, my child," Kikyou replied. She certainly didn't want Rin to experience what she had gone through in the hands of the deer Demoness. Her eyes became alert once more as a sudden movement among some bushes in the forest floor revealed the position of a little squirrel. The little animal began to climb up a tall pine, but Kikyou had at once let go of her arrow and cleanly killed it. 

"Poor squirrel," Rin found herself saying as Kikyou made her way to the little bush where the carcass of the furry mammal had fallen. 

Kikyou sighed. She herself didn't approve of too much hunting, as her nature of a Priestess had taught her to help preserve life, but sometimes sacrifices do have to be made. Kikyou made a little rustling noise as she gently parted the snowy branches of the little bush to retrieve the squirrel. But what her eyes greeted her was more than she expected. 

Rin looked expectantly at Kikyou, wondering why she had stopped. The little girl noticed that a look of shock and disbelief had fallen over the miko's features. 

"What's the matter, Kikyou-sama?" 

Kikyou just stooped there unable to speak for a few moments. Rin tried to look over the Priestess' shoulders to see what troubled her so much, but Kikyou would not allow her to. 

"Rin, go and get Sesshoumaru. This is an urgent matter." 

Noting the exigency in Kikyou's voice, the little girl nodded and at once turned back, running in her full speed to their other companions. 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru's ears perked up to hear the quick footfalls of Rin reverberating in the forest. He was sitting on the roots of a tall spruce, but he stood up, noticing that he could not smell Kikyou's scent along with Rin. Soon enough, the little figure of Rin emerged from the trees and nearly collapsed at the Demon Lord's feet. 

The _taiyoukai_'s amber orbs slightly narrowed in growing concern when he noticed the child's hurried running. So quickly, did she dash, that puffs of her breath emerged from her mouth. And where was Kikyou? It was extremely difficult for the Demon Prince to spend the day pretending that nothing had happened between him and the Priestess at the touch of sunrise; even the mere act of letting her hunt with Rin nearly cost him his self-discipline. If something happened to his beloved, he would personally kill her foe with his bare hand. 

"What's with the rush, Rin?" Jaken asked from his position on Ah-Un's back. 

"Priestess Kikyou told Rin to get Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said between quick breaths, looking up at her Lord and pointing to where she had gone. "She says it's urgent." 

"What's so urgent?" Jaken countered, hardly believing what Rin was saying. "That woman might only be wasting Lord Sesshoumaru's time." 

"Enough," Sesshoumaru said to his retainer in a half-irritated, half-authorative voice. He then turned to the little girl, who was still breathing deeply to catch her lost breath. "Lead the way, Rin." 

The lesser toady demon did not expect their master to give in to the child, but he immediately jumped off Ah-Un's back and obediently followed Sesshoumaru and Rin deeper into the woods. 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru's hand was constantly on the handle of the Toukijin so as to ready himself for any possible attack or combat, but he was relieved to see that Kikyou was all in one piece, stooping calmly in front of a little bush at the base of a large yew tree, her bow and arrows slung over her back. 

Hearing the arrival of her other companions, Kikyou turned and stood up. Her mahogany orbs locked themselves in a serious gaze with Sesshoumaru's amber-golden ones, and he knew at once that something troubled her. 

"What is the matter, Kikyou?" he asked calmly. Only an extremely good listener will notice the concerned edge in his tone. 

Wordlessly, Kikyou stepped aside and waved one of her hands to the bush. Sesshoumaru stepped forward for a closer look at the parted branches of the barren plant, and he knew at once why Kikyou called him. 

Beside the body of a squirrel that had an arrow, no doubt Kikyou's, embedded on its back was a chrysanthemum, perfectly formed and so white that snow looked gray by comparison. Ordinary blooms of its kind could not flower in the deep of winter. 

By this time, Jaken and Rin had also craned their heads to look at the unusual blossom. Rin at once commented that it was extremely similar to the chrysanthemum they have seen the night when Kikyou first joined them, when the forest was filled with the haunting sound of koto strings. 

"Kikumo's chrysanthemums..." Kikyou muttered under her breath. "She was here." 

"She had not gone for long," Sesshoumaru replied. "Her scent still abides among the trees, but her aura is not in this region." 

"She must have gone in a haste, Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken remarked, "and used her clan's extraordinary ability of speed to do so." 

"Can she still be tracked down?" Kikyou asked Sesshoumaru. 

"We shall see," was his reply. The Demoness' scent was weak even to his sharp nose, and it was difficult to trace where its trail had gone. He was about to follow Kikumo's scent when his ears caught a rumbling sound emanating from Rin's stomach. 

Even Kikyou with her human ears could hear the little girl's stomach grinding. She mentally berated herself for delaying the child's meal. Quickly yet carefully, the miko reached into the bush and lifted out the dead squirrel's carcass and handed it to Rin. 

"Have Jaken help you skin this," she instructed the little girl. "Sesshoumaru-sama and I will just try to find out where Kikumo had gone." 

"Why, _I_ should be the one who will follow Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken said furiously. "_You_ skin that silly squirrel!" 

Kikyou opened her mouth to argue, but Sesshoumaru countered Jaken for her. 

"You heard what she said," he ordered. "Go back with Rin to the camp and help her prepare her food. We shall be back as soon as possible." 

Suppressing a whoop of triumph, Kikyou at once turned and followed Sesshoumaru, leaving an extremely disgruntled Jaken with Rin. 

...o0o... 

For a long time, miko and _taiyoukai_ walked beneath the thick shade of evergreens in an attempt to pursue the Demoness, but her scent soon died down after a good distance. Sesshoumaru and Kikyou were rather disappointed, but once they realized that they can no longer trace Kikumo, they turned back and made for their camp. 

"It's a shame we lost her," Sesshoumaru said softly. Kikyou was there, walking beside him. 

"You seem so eager to find Kikumo once more," Kikyou replied. He can tell that there was a little bit of jealousy in her tone. 

"Why, are you jealous, Kikyou?" he found himself saying. His tone was too even to be considered truly teasing, but she did not seem to find it too funny. 

"Why should I be jealous of that Demoness?" Kikyou retorted, trying to sound confident. But deep inside, she was actually doubtful. Sesshoumaru loved her, she knew. But there is a chance that Kikumo will once more rival her for his heart. 

Sesshoumaru knew what she was thinking of. To assure her, he said, "I am simply making sure that she won't come near enough to hurt you once again, Kikyou." 

Kikyou, however, looked at him with narrowed eyes and said testily, "Are you lying to me now, Sesshoumaru?" 

At this, he realized that she was actually taking things seriously, and he took hold of her hand and pulled her to a stop. He raised her head to face his, and though her expression wasn't exactly unpleasant, it wasn't exactly at ease either. 

"Do _you_ think I am lying, Kikyou?" Sesshoumaru whispered, his finger gently tracing her chin line up to her ear. 

Kikyou was silent for a couple of minutes. But her previous expression brightened into a smile and she cupped his cheeks tenderly with her hands as she said with a laugh, "No, I know you could never lie to me." 

Sesshoumaru smiled slightly, but his eyes remained serious. "I promised myself I won't let Kikumo lay her hands on you again. Since I saw you pinned to that tree after you dueled with her, I cannot bear to see you so hurt. Anyone, anything that dares to harm you shall pay dearly." 

Kikyou found herself looking deeply into his mesmerizing amber orbs, and they realized that they were alone once more, together, and just the two of them. Feeling rather guilty at this belated discovery, Sesshoumaru resumed walking and wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close to him. Kikyou let him, and she held on to his remaining hand as she tilted her head to rest against his neck. 

They could not stay long in that position, however, as they were near their camp and their masks once more slipped into place. 

...o0o... 

The moon illuminated the figures of the _youkai_ Prince and the beautiful Priestess as they sat beneath the shadows of a large evergreen. After making sure that their other companions were deep in sleep for the night, Sesshoumaru had taken Kikyou's hand and they left their camp for another place that granted them the seclusion they wished. 

"The more I think of the past weeks, the more I am amazed that we actually found each other," Kikyou said, her fingers intertwined with Sesshoumaru's longer clawed ones on her lap. Her _shinidamachuu_ were floating lazily around them, but he did not appear to be particularly bothered by the white demons. 

"Under the light of one rising sun, we had gone so far," Sesshoumaru replied, nuzzling her hair with his cheek. "Was it destiny that brought us together?" 

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Kikyou whispered. "But no matter, I am glad that I am here with you." 

"So am I." 

A single _shinidamachuu_ went across the moon, blotting out its light for a brief moment. Sesshoumaru could not help but think about how his life had unraveled the way it had. He never knew that he would actually spend his time with a human, let alone be in love with one. She was the one of the most unlikely persons that he would give his heart to, but she had chosen to let go of her past feelings for his half-brother because she loved him. 

Love. Such emotion was once a stranger to him, but Kikyou had taught him otherwise. Deception, betrayal, lies...there is more to the world than darkness, and the Priestess had opened for him a new world that flickered with a new light. She had succeeded where Kikumo had failed. 

"If your brother finds out..." Kikyou's voice drove him from his musings. 

"Let him trouble himself with your reincarnation," Sesshoumaru replied coldly, clutching on tighter to Kikyou's hand. "If he dares to come between us, I will deal with him on my own." 

Kikyou could not help but shiver slightly at the cold of his voice, but he changed the topic and let his voice take a mellower tone to make up for his previous words. "I don't know how long I will last without you by my side. I longed for nothing more today than to be with you, to feel your hands holding mine, to hold you close...but alas, we have to hide beneath a mask of neutrality to protect ourselves, and our love." 

"Maybe we do not have to wait for long," Kikyou assured him. "A voice inside me is telling me that Naraku's end is coming soon, and a new hope shall rise for us." 

Silence came between them. For a long time, they just sat there looking up at the unobscured moonlight and the frosty heavens. But out of a sudden, Sesshoumaru pulled Kikyou up from her sitting position. Gently, he pushed her against the trunk of the tree, his amber eyes not leaving her face for a second. His eyes blazed with a suppressed passion, and he let his hand cup Kikyou's cheek as he assaulted her lips. 

Mahogany eyes glanced with confusion at his face before his lips locked themselves once more with hers. Feeling his tongue voraciously exploring the cavern of her mouth, Kikyou flung her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. Sesshoumaru smirked to feel her own slick muscle colliding with his warm tongue, and he teasingly pulled his muscle from her mouth to suck on her upper lip with thirst. 

A small moan erupted from Kikyou's throat, and he licked at her lower lip before he broke their lip-lock, letting his eyes linger on Kikyou's mahogany pools before he spared her smooth cheek a kiss. It was a lot gentler than his previous smoldering tactics, as though to make up for the voracity he displayed earlier. 

"I love you, Kikyou," he whispered into her ear. 

"I love you too, Sesshoumaru," she replied, letting her finger run over his cheek and his lips. She let out a soft yawn as sleep threatened to overwhelm her senses. 

Sesshoumaru smiled and he let Kikyou pull him down into a sitting position once more. She cuddled up to him, her head nuzzling his neck as her raven hair tumbled over his chest. He shifted his furry pelt to wrap around the two of them as he laid himself down. Kikyou's arms went around his torso before her eyes closed in a comforting sleep. Sesshoumaru spared her fragrant hair a tender kiss and his amber eyes closed as he slept for the first time after a long while. 

There they slept in the dark of the night, under the light of a waning moon and warm in one another's embrace, with the pearly white _shinidamachuu_ floating about them as though to watch over the two lovers in their deep slumber. 

...o0o... 

Naraku steadily regarded the silent figure of Kikumo as she sat close by. Her kimono was pulled back from her wounded shoulder and the Tenseiga was on her waist, but words had yet to come out from her mouth. 

"Well? You ought to have vanquished the Priestess by now. How come I still feel her aura?" 

"I would have killed her," she replied softly. "But someone aided her." 

The evil _hanyou_ shook his head to express his disappointment. "You are not performing as well as you claim you do." 

"There is a proper time for everything. This isn't mine. I will gladly fulfill my part of our truce, but at a pace that I am favorable of." Having said so, the Deer demon stood up and left the room without further explaining what she had gone through. 

Naraku observed her departing figure and he smiled evilly. 

'You are becoming prey to your own hate, my dear.' 

...o0o... 

Tensions are running high, eh? What's Kikumo going to do? And will Sesshy and Kiky have the chance to live together? 


	15. The First Night of Spring

**Chapter Fourteen: The First Night of Spring **

Author: Nefertili

**Fandom:** Inuyasha

**Rating:** PG13

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!

**A/N:** /Runs around on a horse a la cowboy style swinging a lasso around/ I AM GOING AFTER YA, YOU RUNAWAY MUSE/Lasso closes around running muse's head/ WHAAA, GOTCHA! Ahem...sorry 'bout that. -.-'' I am constantly chasing my muses around lately. For those people who thought that a lemon was going to come around last chapter, THINK AGAIN! I can't let them do the 'thing' yet (that is, if I have the courage to type it)... o/o

P.S. I will adapt bits and pieces from the happenings in Episodes 79-80 for the upcoming chapters and this one. And since many of you are asking questions about that wallpaper I made, the pic of Kikyou comes from Episode 23 (and, um, she's kissing Inuyasha in the original one -.-); if I am not mistaken, that pic of Sesshoumaru is simply one of his 'posing' shots, if you get what I mean. And, amazingly, the hands I used came from a pic of Kaoru and Kenshin of RK. ;)

...o0o...

Rin stepped out onto the melting snow. The sun shone brighter than it had the rest of the winter, and pounds of snow had begun to melt under the newly found heat. She stooped and brushed some snowdrift off a portion of the ground, and her eyes widened in childlike awe to see fresh blades of grass growing underneath the snow.

"What are you doing, Rin-chan?" Kikyou's melodious voice echoed from among the trees at the borders of the plain.

The little girl immediately turned around and ran towards the figure of the Priestess, who was stepping out of the shadows of the trees onto the sunlit flatland beyond. Excitedly, Rin took hold of Kikyou's hand and led her to the spot where she had been. She half-knelt once more and brushed more snow off the ground, revealing more greens that had begun to grow.

"Look, Kikyou-sama!" Rin said, pointing a stubby finger at the plants. "Grass!"

"Yes, indeed," Kikyou replied, letting her hand rub Rin's hair affectionately.

"Why are they out now?" the child further asked the miko, looking up at the beautiful woman with curious chocolate brown eyes.

"It's because spring had come, little darling," Kikyou explained, smiling at the Rin's innocence. Rin then let out a cry of happiness and she began to skirt among the melting piles of snow, uncovering more grasses in the process. Kikyou knew that Rin had anticipated the coming of spring. The little girl had laughingly told her that once the new season comes, she wouldn't have to live off on animals again.

A woodsy smell mixed with a subtle fragrance then reached her nose, and Kikyou inhaled the compulsive aroma which she had grown used to throughout the winter. She looked beside her and her eyes met briefly with her beloved's amber orbs before she looked out towards Rin again.

"What is she doing?" Sesshoumaru asked in a puzzled voice, observing the little girl as she frolicked among the watery snow and newly grown grass.

"She's simply welcoming spring, that's all," Kikyou replied quickly, still smiling. Rin had extended her arms and let herself fall back on a pile of still intact snow. With a giggle, the little girl sat up, brushed away the few clumps of snow that stuck to her raven hair, and carried on running around the snowy field as far as her own little legs could go.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at Rin's playing. "She does have an unusual way to welcome the incoming season."

Kikyou let out a single laugh and shook her head with amusement at Sesshoumaru's stupefaction. She lightly brushed away a dead twig from his shoulder as she said, "For a _taiyoukai_, you're incredibly slow with matters concerning children sometimes."

Had anyone but Kikyou told such a thing to him, Sesshoumaru would have snuffed out the life of that person right then and there. But Kikyou was different; Kikyou was his beloved, and he only smirked at her statement.

As they watched Rin playing around in the field, Kikyou could not help but be amazed that she had actually lived through the winter, and in an unusual company at that. She had grown to love Rin's childish ways and she knew that the little girl already looked up to her as a mother figure the way she revered Sesshoumaru nearly as a father figure. Jaken was another matter. Though Kikyou had spoken several civilized conversations with Sesshoumaru's retainer, she still wonders how his master could tolerate such an annoying toad. And of course, Sesshoumaru...

Kikyou's heart smiled recalling the first time their lips met. And not just their lips, but also their hearts and their very souls. Though she and Sesshoumaru had lived another life since then, they had put together their efforts to hide their relationship. To Rin and Jaken, they were only acquaintances, but once their companions have fallen asleep or when they found themselves alone, only then did Sesshoumaru and Kikyou leave their masks behind them and showed each other their true feelings. Many a night they had strolled under the moonlight or simply sat under a tree enjoying one another's company; but to Kikyou, the memory of the sunrise that was like no other was the most vivid reminiscence of them all.

She turned her head to her side to steal another glance at Sesshoumaru, but she frowned slightly to see that there was a troubled look in his eyes. He had been like that for most of the day.

"What's wrong, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou asked, concerned as to what was disturbing her beloved.

The Demon Prince blinked once to see that the miko was looking his way. "What do you mean, Kikyou?"

Kikyou let out a sigh. "Your eyes have a troubled look glazing them. You have been like this since morning; something's bothering you."

Sesshoumaru hastily shook his head. He did not wish Kikyou to worry. "I am fine," he said in a little bit more than a whisper.

But Kikyou was determined to find out what was worrying him. "Don't you trust me with your thoughts, Sesshoumaru?" she asked in a quiet tone.

"You know that you have my trust, Kikyou."

"Then please tell me what is troubling you."

The tone that Kikyou used in her words disarmed the _taiyoukai_ completely. How could he ever resist her intoxicating voice? Sighing, he told her, "Something is tugging at my mind, all right. I have received this uncanny feeling that the enemy is going to cause some disturbance among us soon."

A stunned silence followed between them. Kikyou knew that Sesshoumaru hardly paid attention to such things before, but now that he was expressing worry out of an inner warning, Kikyou knew better than to doubt him.

"What could this mean?" she asked, a deeper frown creasing her face.

"I don't know, Kikyou," Sesshoumaru replied, his eyes no less troubled. "But at least we have a chance to cross our paths once more with those evil fiends and by then we are ready."

The Priestess nodded, but their conversation refused to fade from her mind even as she resumed watching Rin, who by this time was pulling Jaken for a hilarious dance on the melting snow.

...o0o...

"Where are you going, Rin?" Kikyou called after the departing figure of the little girl who had mounted Ah-Un and took hold of his reins. The springtime sun had fully sunk in the horizon, and a moon, close to being a full disk, had risen to take its place.

"Rin is going to find something to eat!" Rin called back, looking over her shoulders as she guided the two-headed dragon over the partially frost-covered ground. Nature was putting forth its wonderful power of renewal as numerous plants had already begun to show their heads up from the snow. Even the trees are beginning to unfold new leaves for a new year.

Kikyou, who was then sitting under a young tree, was about to get up and array herself in her weapons, but to her surprise, Sesshoumaru, who sat under a tree opposite her, stilled her with a grunt.

"I am only going to accompany Rin..." she tried to say, but he shook his head and his amber eyes glanced at Jaken, who was by then dozing off with his head resting against the Staff of Heads.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru called out in his deep voice. At once, his retainer awoke to hear his name called. Sesshoumaru's eyes then made their way to Rin and Ah-Un, who were by then disappearing around a bend of trees, giving Jaken the unsaid order that he follow the little girl and make sure no harm befalls her.

Though the toady demon cast a confused glance at Kikyou, for he had gotten used to the routine that the Priestess was the one accompanying Rin whenever she had to secure her food, he said nothing to counter Lord Sesshoumaru's order and he walked off after the little girl and the dragon. When Jaken's short and stumpy body frame was out of sight, only then did Sesshoumaru shed his cold demeanor and motioned for Kikyou to sit beside him.

Kikyou willingly stood up and bridged the distance between them, but all her wishes to be alone with her beloved did not drive away her care for little Rin.

"Are you sending them away simply because you wished us to be alone?" Kikyou asked Sesshoumaru softly, wrapping her arms around her legs as she did so. "I don't think that would be wise..."

"It's not that, Kikyou," Sesshoumaru replied in a whisper. His amber orbs met Kikyou's mahogany eyes and she immediately read the same worried look she had seen in them earlier. "I cannot have you face Kikumo or Naraku alone in case this inner warning of mine proves to be true."

"But our companions, Sesshoumaru," Kikyou pressed him on. "If they are the ones in danger..."

"Rin has Ah-Un and Jaken," he answered her. "She will be safe with them."

At this, Kikyou let out a laugh. "You trust Rin with that toad of yours?"

Sesshoumaru chose to overlook her rather derisive laugh and he instead gave her a knowing smirk to combat her previous reaction. "In fact, I do," he replied. "I have left Rin with at least Ah-Un for numerous times even before you came with us, Kikyou, and she has not even lost a finger yet."

Kikyou's face frowned for a moment, but she did not bother to argue with Sesshoumaru any longer. She knew that he would not turn back from his own decisions, and she respected his choices the way he respected hers. Kikyou smiled slightly as she rested her head against Sesshoumaru's shoulder. His single arm went about her shoulders in turn, and she sighed contentedly to herself and closed her eyes.

But as she went over Sesshoumaru's last statement, Kikyou opened her mahogany orbs and she gently held his remaining hand as she thought of one thing.

"Are you particularly bothered when your brother severed your left limb?" she asked him.

Sesshoumaru snorted, but he returned her hold on his hand with a soft squeeze. "As long as I can still wield a sword and deliver my _Dokkasou_ with what I have left, I can live off with being one-armed." He then tilted his head and tickled Kikyou's ear with his nose as he added, "And as long as I can hold you with what I have, I shall live."

Kikyou suppressed a giggle at the ticklish sensation, and she good-humoredly kissed his nose to stop his tickling tricks.

"Of course," she said, rubbing her face against his soft pelt and encircling her arms around his waist. "Of course." And they were able to overlook their worries, at least for the time being.

...o0o...

"Come on, Jaken-sama, catch up!" Rin said as she encouraged Ah-Un in a gallop, leaving Jaken, who was desperately running to catch up behind them. The little girl already had in her hands numerous plant stalks that are laden with nuts that developed in the early spring, and she was playing a game with Sesshoumaru's retainer as to who will make it back to Kikyou-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama first.

Rin was so engrossed in winning that she did not realize that Jaken was already left too far behind. But when she realized this, she pulled Ah-Un to a stop and began to nibble on the nuts as she waited for Jaken-sama.

Suddenly, the sound of soft weeping reached the child's ears. Torn between curiosity and concern, Rin dismounted from Ah-Un and followed the sound. Squeezing between two bushes, she found herself inside a thicket. Squinting, Rin made out a stooped figure with long brown hair that was loosely braided. Though she couldn't quite see her face, as the woman hid it behind her hands, Rin was intrigued by the graceful snakelike brown markings on her arms. Nearby was a black koto with silver strings, but Rin couldn't grasp the reason behind the presence of the instrument.

She took a step forward, and a few twigs broke under her weight. The woman's ears, which resembled deer's ears, twitched when she heard the sound. Pale hands left her face, and Rin's chocolate brown eyes soon came face-to-face with deep green orbs as the fair, gentle-looking woman looked her way.

...o0o...

Jaken was quietly cursing as he struggled to recover his breath. Can't Rin see that she would automatically win their little game because she had a mount? Grasping the Staff of Heads determinedly, the toady demon ran on, desperate to catch up with Ah-Un and Rin.

Suddenly, he felt another _youki_ nearby. Jaken stopped short. It was such a powerful demon energy, but it couldn't be Lord Sesshoumaru, could it? No demon could equal his Lord Sesshoumaru in power, and if his senses served him correctly, he was still quite a distance from where they left the _taiyoukai_ and the miko, that is, if they remained where they were.

His round eyes made out the stationary form of Ah-Un among some trees, but Jaken couldn't see Rin. Where had she gone?

A burst of demon aura further alerted him, and it occurred to his toady mind that the little girl might have gone to wherever that aura was coming from. Using the _youki_ as his tracking device, Jaken peeked inside a gap between two bushes, and he felt fear chill his very bones when his eyes saw what was happening.

...o0o...

Rin simply stared at the woman, no doubt a demon because of her looks. Her eyes were swollen due to crying, and tears were still running down her smooth pale cheeks even as she faced the child.

"Are you crying because you're hungry?" Rin innocently asked, kneeling beside the Demoness and holding out the nuts to her. "Here, eat this; you'll be all right."

The brown-haired woman smiled slightly and she delicately rubbed her tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "I do not need food, little girl," she said kindly. "Why are you so concerned about me, anyhow? Don't you know who I am?"

Rin shook her head incredulously. She had never met this pretty lady all her life; how could she ask if she knew her?

The lady's smile then turned mysterious. "So, Sesshoumaru hasn't told you about me yet, eh?"

Rin's eyes began to widen. This woman knew her Lord Sesshoumaru? And why was she addressing him without his title? Sesshoumaru-sama permitted only Kikyou-sama to do so.

"No, Sesshoumaru-sama never told me anything about you, Lady," Rin muttered. "How do you know about Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The lady, however, simply held out one of her hands and let her fingers pass over the girl child's eyes. At once, Rin felt a drowsiness overwhelming her body, and she collapsed in the waiting arms of Kikumo as the Demoness smiled a twisted smile, saying, "You will know soon enough, little girl."

...o0o...

Jaken at once broke out from his hiding place and confronted the Demoness, though greater she may be.

"You...you're Kikumo, aren't you?" he demanded more than asked, holding up the Staff of Heads defensively in front of him. Rin was asleep in Kikumo's arms, and she was smirking evilly.

"Yes," was her reply, "and don't I know you?" As she looked down on the stumpy figure challenging her, she recalled the same toady demon who was at Sesshoumaru's heels during the war against the cat _youkai_ fifty years ago.

"For your information, I am Jaken," he said proudly, though his voice was shaking out of pure fear. "I am Lord Sesshoumaru's retainer."

Kikumo laughed mockingly, and she unhurriedly ran one of her claw like nails over Rin's cheek. Though she did not make any effort to scratch the tender skin, Jaken knew that she was threatening him. His hands, however, worked against the will of his mind, and all because of terror, he made fire shoot out of his staff at the Demoness.

But numerous vines suddenly sprang out of the ground and formed a protective cage around Kikumo and Rin, and the plants were reduced to ashes instead of the Demoness. With a flick of her fingers, more vines shot out from the soil and wrapped themselves around Jaken, preventing him from making a single move against the other _youkai_.

Kikumo, carrying Rin in one hand, then touched the nearby koto which immediately transformed into the Hiroko Kama. She pressed the blade of the _naginata_ forbiddingly against the toady demon's neck, and Jaken was unable to shout out or even screech because fright had rendered his vocal cords useless.

"Tell that master of yours and his Priestess that if they want their little girl," Kikumo said ominously, her green eyes flashing dangerously, "they ought to come to Naraku first." In a flash of pure speed, Kikumo was gone, and Rin as well. Gradually, the vines loosened their grasp on him, and Jaken immediately wriggled out of the plants' grip and ran out of the thicket to alert Sesshoumaru and Kikyou about what had just happened.

...o0o...

The pupils of Sesshoumaru's amber eyes dilated, and Kikyou easily felt his body going tense. She let go of her grasp on him, and he stood up, his hand on the handle of the Toukijin.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou mouthed out, becoming alarmed as well.

"The scent of the wind had changed," he whispered as Kikyou stood up after him.

Kikyou wondered about this cryptic statement. She hadn't the sharp senses of a _youkai_; therefore she couldn't smell what he was smelling.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken's frantic voice echoed. The bushes shook as Ah-Un thudded his way towards them, the lesser demon on its back. The Demon Prince and the Priestess noted that his face was as frantic as his voice.

"What's happening?" Kikyou asked. "Where is Rin?" His answer froze her right then and there on the spot.

"Kikumo, m' Lord!" Jaken said hurriedly, sweat drops breaking all over his forehead. "She has got Rin, and she said that we would have to face Naraku before we could get her!"

...o0o...

In the little village where Kikyou lived her first life, a silver-haired boy with dog ears ran out of their abode for the night, to be followed by a fifteen-year old girl in a modern schoolgirl's uniform.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" the raven-haired girl implored her companion.

"I can smell Naraku," he replied, and a strong breeze began to blow among the trees as the face of the gibbous moon began to be obscured among dark clouds.

...o0o...

Wee-hee! Suspense, suspense! You want Inuyasha's reaction at Sesshoumaru and Kikyou's relationship, eh? Don't worry; we're going near that part! ;)


	16. The Dialogue of Rin and Kikumo

**Chapter Fifteen: The Dialogue of Rin and Kikumo **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** Okay, so Kikumo kidnapped Rin, eh? I can see that my reviewers have mixed feelings about this Deer _youkai_. Some pity her, some wish to kill her...well, let us see what she'll do to Rin. 

You must probably have an inkling that the next chapters are adapted from Episodes 80 and 81. If you do, you are right. So, come on and let's see what our fave couple will do to save poor little Rin. ;) 

...o0o... 

"Kikumo has got Rin?" Kikyou said, her eyes wide with shock and anger. She slowly turned to look at Sesshoumaru. The expression on his pensive face was still the same, and it unconsciously stirred up Kikyou's temper. "Had you allowed me to come with her instead of this...this toad," she glared at Jaken, who recoiled back at her furious gaze, "this wouldn't have happened." 

"Blaming me, Kikyou?" Sesshoumaru replied coldly, his eyes becoming so steely that he would have frozen the air around them effortlessly. 

Kikyou's mahogany orbs were temporarily taken aback by the hard look he gave her, but the surprise immediately gave way to an equally steely frown. Jaken retreated behind Ah-Un's heads, feeling as though he was caught right in the middle of clashing thunderstorms. 

"You were _warned_, Sesshoumaru," Kikyou said slowly and deliberately, so as to let the words linger in his ears and somehow penetrate his hard-headed brain. "Yet did you let your instincts guide you? If you indeed had sense and wisdom, Rin wouldn't have been in the clutches of some Demoness who's foolish enough to side with Naraku." 

"Then look at it this way, _woman_," Sesshoumaru replied, his aura flaring at his annoyance. "Had you not learned enough from your previous encounters with Kikumo? If you think you can tackle her single-handedly, then it would be your undoing. Even if you were with Rin, she would have gotten her from you after yet another bloody duel that might end in your defeat." 

Kikyou was becoming truly angry now. How dare he underestimate her spiritual powers! "Well _demon_, don't think you've seen enough of my powers to know that I cannot defeat that wild deer of a _youkai_. Maybe I was wrong after all to think that you actually cared for Rin. You were just going to abandon her to die in our enemies' hands!" 

Sesshoumaru inwardly flinched at her harsh words, but his indifferent outer facade betrayed the true emotions inside. For a long while they just stood there glaring at each other, but Jaken had said in a squeaky voice, "What about Rin, Lord Sesshoumaru?" 

With a grunt, he turned away from the furious miko and began to walk out of the trees into the moonlit plains, with the peculiar scent of the wind guiding his nose. 

The Undead Priestess watched in silence as Jaken steered Ah-Un to follow Sesshoumaru. Where is he going now? 

"And where do you think are you going, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou asked as she took after the figure of the Demon Lord with her weapons at hand. 

"Towards Naraku's scent," Sesshoumaru answered in the least words as possible, not even sparing her a glance as he said so. Kikyou's temper was still at its heights that she didn't quite see the rather offended look in his amber orbs. 

"So, you are now taking in his bait and allow ourselves to be manipulated by that half-demon?" she further interrogated him, her fist further tightening its hold on her bow. 

"I, Sesshoumaru, shall never be manipulated by anyone, especially by that spineless hanyou," was his reply. A strong breeze had cloaked the light of the gibbous moon in a veil of dark clouds. 

"Then I suggest that you ought to go after Kikumo and leave Naraku to me," Kikyou said, her eyes blazing. 

Sesshoumaru was silent. But when he spoke once more in a little bit more than a whisper, Kikyou felt her temper shatter with the weight of emotions his next words caused her heart. 

"Are you with me, Kikyou?" 

Kikyou gradually turned her head, and she saw him looking at her with amber orbs thick with emotion. He had asked the same question to her after their first kiss, and once more, her heart relived all the love they felt back then. Realization dawned inside her that it was the enemy's will that they be divided because of hate. No, that should not happen. Never. Kikyou will not allow herself to be swayed from Sesshoumaru the way Naraku tore her and Inuyasha apart in the past. 

"I am with you to the end," Kikyou replied, all the previous traces of anger leaving her beautiful face as her lips smiled slightly to make up for their previous argument. 

Slightly behind them, Jaken tilted his head in utter confusion to see the two previous storms abruptly give way to a peaceful silence. What was it in Sesshoumaru-sama's words that appeased the miko? He must now probably know her temperament enough to have successfully prevented her from sealing them out of anger. Furthermore, his eyes became as round as saucers to see his Lord reach out with his remaining hand to gently tuck a lock of Kikyou's raven hair behind her ear in a gesture both assuring and disturbing before he resumed his previous regal stance. 

...o0o... 

The usual peace of the night was disturbed by a company running through the dark springtime forest. And not just an ordinary company. A _hanyou_ boy with silvery hair and dog ears was at the very front, amber eyes wide and alert as his keen nose picked up the scent of their enemy. As he ran on bare feet, a raven-haired girl clad in a school uniform with a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back followed close behind. On her shoulders was a little fox demon who clutched on to her collar so as to quell his rising anxiety. 

At their very rear were two other humans, a monk clad in dark shades of blues and grays with his right hand tightly wrapped in a bluish cloth running beside a young woman in a demon exterminator's armor with a huge boomerang slung across her back. On her shoulder was a little black and white cat demon that had loyally accompanied her from the very start. 

"How much farther, Inuyasha?" Miroku called out to Sesshoumaru's half-brother. They had been wakened from their uneasy sleep by Kagome and the silver-haired half-demon, claiming that the scent of Naraku was in the air. 

"We're nearing him!" Inuyasha shouted back. "His smell becomes stronger every minute!" 

"Isn't it peculiar?" Sango remarked as she ran, holding on tightly to her _Hiraikotsu_ with one hand while giving Kirara a reassuring pat with the other. "We haven't heard from Naraku for a good while, have we?" 

"Indeed," Miroku added, "but no matter, _something_ had made him - or caused him - to be active again." 

...o0o... 

Rin blinked for a moment or two, trying to regain her sense of time. What had happened? She couldn't quite remember what happened that made her end up in this...this...what is this place? 

She struggled to sit up from the reed mat she was lying on, but she immediately lay down again as the mere act of sitting up caused her vision to spin. The child closed her eyes so as to drive away the spinning sensation on her head. Oh, if this kept up, she is sure to throw up... 

"Are you awake?" a soft voice reached Rin's ears. Opening her eyes reluctantly, she beheld a willowy figure in an earth-colored kimono entering the room, which was completely dark save for an oil lamp burning in a solitary corner. Rin simply stared at the woman, and recognized her as the Demoness she last saw before she lost consciousness. 

Not minding her lack of answer, the brown-haired woman knelt by her side. Rin saw that she carried a little lacquered tray that had a pot of steaming fragrant tea of some sort and also a little bowl of freshly sliced peaches and apricots. To how she was able to procure such fruits at the earliest touches of spring, Rin did not know, but her stomach rumbling clouded her thoughts. 

The Demoness' doe ears twitched at hearing the sound, and let out a good-hearted laugh before saying, "You must be famished, my child. Come; let me help you sit up." 

"It makes Rin feel dizzy to do so..." Rin said groggily. At this, the woman put down the tray next to her and reassuringly placed a cool hand behind her head to support her and she gently took hold of one of Rin's hand to motivate her. 

"Don't worry, Rin," said she, hearing the child address herself in third person. "After you drink the tea, it will all go away." 

Obligingly, Rin let the _youkai_ woman assist her. Though she felt as though what little food her stomach housed threatened to come out of her mouth, the emerald-eyed woman had quickly poured some warm tea on a light blue teacup and handed it to her. Rin looked uncertainly at the blackish, opaque liquid. It almost looked like ink to her. 

The Demoness smiled and said, "Drink. It will help." 

Rin nodded once (making her head spin once more), and took a sip of the bittersweet tea. Though the taste was rather strange, the little girl had to admit that the dizziness disappeared from her senses at once, and its fragrant aroma was a delight to her nose. She drank some more, and soon there was none left in the cup. 

"I am sorry about what happened," Kikumo said as Rin thankfully handed the teacup back to her. "The herb infusion I soaked my hand into seemed too strong for your young senses, but we'll get to that later. At least you now have something to eat." She carefully placed the ceramic bowl of fruits and a pair of chopsticks on Rin's hand and she gracefully poured some tea for herself on a spare cup. 

Rin eagerly ate the sweet fruits, for it had been a long time since she tasted apricots and peaches that she had almost forgotten how they taste like. Her curious chocolate brown eyes then made their way to the Demoness, who was delicately sipping the tea more gracefully than anyone she had seen before. What did she mean by the 'infusion she soaked her hand into'? Her eyes widened to recall that the woman had actually passed her hand before her eyes, and she had drifted into unconsciousness at once. Why did she do that? And where were Lord Sesshoumaru and Kikyou-sama? 

Rin paused for a while from her munching and implored the Demoness, "Please, Rin must get back to Sesshoumaru-sama and Kikyou-sama or they will be angry." 

"They will come for you," the lady replied, pausing for a moment before she continued sipping her tea. "You just have to wait." 

Rin diverted her gaze from the woman and she picked up a fresh peach slice with the chopsticks. She sucked succulent juices before chewing at the fruit. After swallowing, the little girl spoke up again. 

"What's you're name, lady?" 

She put down the empty cup on the tray and she replied, "Kikumo." 

"Kikumo," Rin muttered to herself, letting the name roll on her tongue. That name...it sounds rather familiar. Though her memory was hazy, Rin recalled the time they talked about the mysterious koto player when Kikyou first came with them. 

Kikumo apparently read the recognition in the child's eyes, and she smiled to herself. So, Rin knew her name but not her face? Sesshoumaru must have talked about her openly among his companions, Kikyou among them... 

A frown crossed the Demoness' face at the mere thought of the Priestess. Though the wounds Kikyou had given her had healed long ago, the gashes she made at her pride were still fresh. 

_'The time will come when you will regret that you have ever betrayed him!"_

That statement, that enraging statement...though Kikumo refused to admit it openly, she knew that the Undead Miko was correct, and she hated her for that; she hated Kikyou for making her see that she was wrong; she hated her for stealing Sesshoumaru's heart... 

"Kikumo-sama," Rin's little voice echoed in the chamber. Kikumo looked with surprise at the child, rather surprised at the respectful way she called her. It had been a long time since she was addressed like that; it was back in the Western Lands when she last heard others calling her Princess Kikumo or Kikumo-hime as they are bound to say. And she left her home all because of Sesshoumaru...the Lord of the Western Lands she had loved and was certainly capable of loving her back, had only she waited, had only she forgiven... 

Rin gave the now-empty bowl to her and bowed low to express her thanks. Kikumo placed the bowl on the tray and said, "Are you still hungry? I can get you more, if you wish." 

"Rin is full already," Rin replied politely, running a hand over her belly. 

"It's not surprising that you're hungry," Kikumo said. Rin could hear there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Sesshoumaru ought to pay more attention to what you eat. Did he ever help you get your food?" 

"No, but he instructs Jaken-sama to help Rin," Rin answered quickly. "Now even Priestess Kikyou comes to help. You seem to know a lot about Sesshoumaru-sama, Kikumo-sama." 

"Yes, I do know a lot about him," Kikumo whispered silently. Her delicate hands ever so slightly clutched at the skirt of her fawn-colored kimono. "I knew him as he was back in the Western Lands." 

Rin seemed enthusiastic now that their subject was focused on Sesshoumaru-sama. 

"He's such a kind person, Kikumo-sama!" the little girl piped up. "He saved Rin from the Wolves! And he also saved Kikyou-sama when..." Rin broke off. She recalled Sesshoumaru telling her and Jaken that Kikyou was injured because someone called Kikumo attacked her. Kikumo? Kikumo-sama? 

"When I attacked her?" Kikumo finished the sentence for her, attacking herself directly. Rin could only stare at the Demoness with fear and shock mixed in her eyes. Kikyou-sama was so sick that time! 

Kikumo noticed Rin's uneasiness, and she assured her, "I won't hurt you, Rin." To prove her sincerity, she reached out and patted the child's raven locks. 

Rin eased a bit, but she now became more wary of Kikumo. "Why did you hurt Kikyou-sama?" 

"I am only giving her what she deserves. Do you not know who this Kikyou really is?" 

"What do you mean, Kikumo-sama?" Rin queried of Kikumo, looking at her with confused eyes. Kikumo's deep green eyes seemed to darken as she narrated. 

"Kikyou, dear little Rin, is an Undead Miko. She is not living; she is already dead. That body which she inhabits now is a fake; it is only made out of clay and bones. Furthermore, she has no soul, for her soul had already been reincarnated in another person. She uses her _shinidamachuu_, or her pet Soul-snatching Demons, to steal the souls of the newly-deceased or even some of the living, to keep her clay body going." 

Rin's eyes were wide open, obviously shocked at what she was hearing. Kikumo smirked to herself. She'd foil the miko's relationship with Sesshoumaru indirectly. 

"Now, isn't that a selfish thing to do, little Rin? Kikyou, that seemingly sweet Kikyou, is actually a traitor in her own way. Isn't a miko trained to free the souls of the living into the Next World? Kikyou, instead, takes souls for herself because she lives on hate. And there is one person she hates above the others." 

"Who is this person, Kikumo-sama?" Rin muttered, torn between doubt and loyalty to the miko. 

"Why, no other than Sesshoumaru's half-brother, Inuyasha!" Kikumo answered, her tone becoming more intense. "In her first life, Kikyou was killed by someone posing as Inuyasha long ago, and she had died thinking that Inuyasha, who was then her lover, betrayed her. Now that she's resurrected, the prime purpose of her existence is to kill him. And who says that she won't do the same to your Lord Sesshoumaru?" 

"Sesshoumaru-sama was never Inuyasha-san," Rin said, trying to come to the defense of Kikyou. "Kikyou-sama won't do that to him." 

Kikumo's lips broke into an evil smile. "And what makes you so sure? You are very young, Rin. You could be easily swayed by Kikyou's malicious ways. In case you don't know, my child, Sesshoumaru actually loves Kikyou, and she knows it. _I_ love Sesshoumaru, and that evil miko knows it." Rin slightly recoiled from Kikumo, whose eyes were now taking on the angry shade of red. 

"Kikyou intends to use Sesshoumaru to do her evil ways, Rin. She knows that he would do anything for her, and for this moment, she pretends to return his feelings. But it's all an act! She's just fooling your Lord Sesshoumaru, m' girl! After Sesshoumaru finishes killing his half-brother for her, she would banish him to hell!" 

"Kikyou-sama seems to care for Sesshoumaru-sama. She wouldn't do such a thing!" 

"I do not care if you choose to believe or not," Kikumo replied. She gently cupped the little girl's cheeks with one hand and let her other hand pat Rin's hair, trying to sound that she cared. "But I am only telling you what you need to know. I have tried to protect Sesshoumaru from her, but she survived. She had twisted his mind into thinking that I am evil, my dear. But in truth, she is the evil one. Take heed, Rin. Be more wary around Kikyou. If you really care for Sesshoumaru-sama, you wouldn't allow her to banish him to hell." 

Having done so, Kikumo's hands left Rin's cheek and hair to wrap her ochre shawl around her arms. She stood up and stood beside the one door of the room, looking out and leaving Rin in her thoughts. 

Rin, meanwhile, had lain down once more on the reed cot, tears welling up on her childlike eyes. She was so confused. Was she to believe in Kikumo's tale? Was Kikyou really hiding a dark conspiracy throughout all the times she played and hunted with her? Did she really wish to betray Sesshoumaru-sama? 

Finally, drowned in questions, doubts and confusion, Rin once more fell asleep. Kikumo looked on and smiled contentedly to herself. Her face then became serious as she fixed her gaze on the dark castle looming in the distance. She felt the auras of Sesshoumaru and Kikyou; they were near. 

'Do what you have to do, Naraku.' 

...o0o... 

Kikyou's mahogany orbs scanned the dark fortress as they neared it. Sesshoumaru's senses were acute, and they had tracked down Naraku's evil energy and scent successfully. 

"Naraku," Sesshoumaru muttered, extreme loathing in his voice. The wind had died down, and an eerie stillness covered every inch of the dead landscape. 

"He'll reach his end soon enough," Kikyou replied, pulling a finely crafted arrow from her quiver and fixing it to her bow, ready for whatever assault that might come. 

...o0o... 

/Tsk, tsk/ Jealousy works wonders, indeed. Kikumo is now bent on destroying whatever affection Kikyou has with Sesshoumaru, eh? And she hopes Rin will heed her? Not good, not good at all... 


	17. An Unforeseen Reunion

**Chapter Sixteen: An Unforeseen Reunion **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:**_ /Bars the doors to keep out people carrying pitchforks and shouting, "Kill Kikumo! Kill Kikumo!"/_ Whew, the last chapter sort of destroyed whatever pity my reviewers had for the ex-Princess of the Deer Clan, eh? _/Eyes the sobbing figure of Kikumo in the corner/_

Me: Come on, we've got this story to finish. We're off to have some action in this chapter!  
Kikumo: (Takes out Hiroko Kama) Why did you make all those people hate me? I don't wanna be a meanie!  
Me: (Takes out a badminton racket and slaps her on the head with it) Because that's how things are supposed to be!  
Kikumo: ...Ouch. T.T

...o0o... 

Naraku's lips curved up in an evil grin to feel the auras of Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. The Deer Demoness was certainly not fabricating things when she told him that his hated Priestess had allied herself with the Lord of the Western Lands. It would be a perfect time to see how those two were getting along. 

And Kikumo? A flicker of amusement went across the evil _hanyou_'s eyes. He was a master of seeing hate and how it devours one's being, and something had obviously changed in Kikumo. She, however, was an elusive one, and though she carried out his bidding that she disables Sesshoumaru from the protection of the Tenseiga and to lure both the Priestess and the _taiyoukai_ into his castle by kidnapping that little girl, she had become more wary of his presence since Kikyou injured her. 

She spoke in riddles, and she hardly made use of her powers before his eyes. Naraku, proud as he was, had also become suspicious of Kikumo. She was clearly hiding something, and that would be her undoing. 

'Your powers, my dear, will soon be mine,' Naraku thought to himself as he stood up to meet his two challengers. 

...o0o... 

"Naraku's scent is killing my nose!" Jaken complained, wrinkling his face in disgust. He had dismounted from Ah-Un at a safe distance from the dark castle and had trotted beside the watchful figures of the Demon Prince and the Priestess for the rest of the suspense-laden journey. 

"He had meant us to come here," Sesshoumaru muttered back. His hand had roamed to the red handle of the Toukijin and had assumed his fighting stance. Beside him, Kikyou was no less vigilant, her arrow positioned in a perfect angle on her bow. "He had even let down his barrier to let us pass." 

"Do you think they know about...about our..." Kikyou asked Sesshoumaru uncertainly, hoping that he will get what she's trying to say. 

"It does not make any difference now," was Sesshoumaru's reply. He got her message, all right. Does he presume that Naraku and Kikumo knew about their secret relationship? Kikumo had probably been spying on them all the time; she would have told their fiend whatever information she had managed to procure. 

Jaken opened his mouth to ask his Lord as to what the miko meant, but the words became stuck to his throat when the figure of Naraku, clad in robes of dark violet and black, emerged at the door of the fortress, looking down at them from where he stood at the very top of the flight of stairs that led to the entrance of the castle. 

Kikyou's eyes hardened upon seeing Naraku, he who was her most hated enemy and whom she had longed to kill since she was resurrected. All traces of emotion left her face, and the only thoughts that echoed in her mind at that moment were those of the _hanyou_ being banished to Hell, where he belonged. 

Naraku smirked to see the three figures at the foot of the stairs. That little toad cowering behind Sesshoumaru's heels, he could take care of easily. That is, if the scaly demon would muster enough courage to face him. His eyes roamed towards the cold amber eyes of the Demon Lord. Kikumo was really useful to him in her own way. Without the Tenseiga, the platinum-haired _youkai_ will surely be a lot more vulnerable to his attacks. Naraku, however, spared himself a word of caution. Even he had to admit that Sesshoumaru's Demon Powers were _still_ far superior to his at that moment. 

A mixture of hate and lust passed over the half-demon's dark eyes when he beheld the last figure of all, the one he loved and hated most. Kikyou. Even the thought of that bitter name was enough to make him flinch. As long as that Priestess lives, his victory will never be secured. She will stop at nothing to ensure that he will not get away with the Shikon no Tama, and how was he to kill her when the heart of that wretched thief still resides inside him? 

An uncanny silence reigned for a long time. Naraku went over his planned steps in his mind for one last time before he spoke, an evil smile twisting his features. 

"If you came for the little girl, worry not Sesshoumaru-sama, for she still yet lives," his hissing voice echoed throughout the barren landscape, dark eyes narrowing to anticipate Sesshoumaru's reaction. "And she's safe where she is now." 

Kikyou was about to reply, but Sesshoumaru was the one who spoke ahead of her. 

"Don't assume that I am here to save her," his cold, condescending voice said, successfully rendering Naraku speechless. 

Naraku's little smirk widened. So, the Demon Lord did not wish to become a pawn in his games, eh? Naraku should have known better; Sesshoumaru had added himself to the _hanyou's_ long list of enemies since Naraku gave him that despicable human arm. 

This time, Kikyou stepped forward and drew her bow taut. Naraku better not spend his time in worthless conversations. 

"You made a mistake of trying to lure us to your filthy domain," Kikyou said, her mahogany eyes flashing menacingly. "It's a coward of you to make use of other beings to protect your own skin." 

Every word that left Kikyou's mouth had a far greater effect on their enemy than Sesshoumaru's own haughty words. Kikyou smirked in satisfaction at the ugly frown that crossed Naraku's face and at his hands clenching in utter annoyance. 

"I will destroy you in your fake body soon enough," he hissed at her. "No amount of alliance shall save you now, Kikyou." The human form of his hands began to melt and elongate into tentacles. The long tendrils that were once Naraku's fingers shot out at the company, but Jaken was the only one who had a change in facial expression. He cowered behind Sesshoumaru and Kikyou, fearful of Naraku's attack. 

Kikyou calmly observed Naraku's little metamorphosis. Taking this as her signal, the Priestess aimed the arrow at the figure at the top of the stairs and let go of the bowstring. 

A cloud of dust puffed up from the dirty ground as the arrow glowed white in its holy powers. A trail of white followed it like the dust tail of a comet as the arrow neared its target. Sesshoumaru unflinchingly watched as she delivered the first move, and beneath his cold exterior, he was deeply impressed and proud of his beloved. 

"You should have allowed me to attack him first," Sesshoumaru whispered, letting his silvery hair fly back from his face at the force of Kikyou's flying arrow. Kikyou's eyes darted in his direction, and she caught his little smirk. She let a corner of her lips curve up, for she knew that Sesshoumaru was only teasing her. Kikyou was grateful to her beloved for giving her a reason to smile amidst the stickiness of their situation. 

"You'll have your shot at him," Kikyou whispered back, drawing out another of her purity arrows from her quiver and poised it on her bow. A dust cloud still obscured their visions as to what became of Naraku, but both of them knew that Naraku won't allow himself to be defeated easily. "This is only the beginning." 

Gradually, the dark bands of dust began to settle once more on the ground, and they beheld the body of their fiend in pieces, suspended in the foul air of the fortress. But his head, floating on a fragment of his shoulders, was still grinning evilly, indicating that he was not finished yet. 

Sesshoumaru could only grunt to show his apparent boredom as he finally whipped out his sword and dashed up the stairs in quick leaps, Kikyou following closely behind, her bow on the alert once more. Jaken, realizing that his master and the miko had left him vulnerable at the foot of the flight of stairs, darted up after them as fast as his short legs could carry him, putting his confidence in the power of the _taiyoukai_ and his ally. 

...o0o... 

"Naraku's in there!" Kagome screamed out to her companions, pointing at the dark castle up ahead. 

"Let's go and get him!" Inuyasha growled, taking hold of the hilt of a battered-looking sword on his side. Drawing it from its dark sheath, he transformed the Tessaiga into its true fang form and went off in a quicker pace towards the forbidding fortress. 

...o0o... 

"Don't hide from me, Naraku," Sesshoumaru's deep voice echoed in the torch-lit chamber spreading before them. He and Kikyou had pursued the flying bits and pieces of Naraku deeper into his fortress. The Priestess' holy arrows were flying one after the other as she sought to target the evil _hanyou_ where he kept his heart, but Naraku was conceivably cunning and had evaded much of Toukijin's blows and the white spirits of the arrows. 

Seeing the enclosed chamber up ahead, Kikyou stopped in her tracks and pulled her bow taut before her. There was only one entrance to the dark room, and she knew that Naraku might intend to trap them into the chamber. 

"Don't follow him, Sesshoumaru," she counseled him. "He'll trap us in there." 

Sesshoumaru, being the skilled fighter that he was, knew of such tactics even before Kikyou told him about it. He had slowed his steps to see the floating remains of their enemy enter the suspicious-looking chamber, and his sword gleamed dully in the flickering light of the torches placed at regular intervals in the walls. His ears gave a little twitch and his amber eyes flashed with anger to hear Naraku taunt them in his nearly decapitated head, his coal black eyes dancing with malice and amusement in the faint light. 

"Ever the clever one, Kikyou, eh?" Naraku sneered, his body pieces floating farther into the chamber, as though compelling them to run after him. "Then I trust that you will let me escape again, my friends?" 

"Shut that mouth of yours and do some real business, pathetic one," Sesshoumaru said in evenly measured tones. He took a step forward and assumed an offensive stance with the Toukijin. "Running away will do you no good." 

Naraku's twisted lips further twisted into yet another malicious grin. "Why don't you come in? I will grant you all the combat you wish for, then." 

"You must have gone twisted, indeed, to think that we will yield to you," Kikyou countered the evil fiend, and she was about to release the arrow targeted at Naraku's head when Sesshoumaru's blurry figure darted past her, making locks of her raven hair fly. She looked up at shock to see the Demon Lord sprint up and slash at Naraku's grinning face with his sword, further dividing the _hanyou_ into more pieces. "What have you done, Sesshoumaru?" 

"Getting his true intentions out," Sesshoumaru said flatly. Naraku's flying body pieces were circling him now, and were coming closer and closer as each moment passes. It was only now that they understood Naraku's reasons. He intends to absorb Sesshoumaru's full-demon powers for his own. Alarmed by this, Kikyou took several steps forward, her bow drawn. Sesshoumaru, however, halted her. 

"Stay where you are, Kikyou," he commanded, not reacting to the apparent danger Naraku's bits and pieces pose for him. "Let him do as he pleases, and we will finish him off." 

"But at what price?" Kikyou answered back, making a great effort to hide the concerned edge in her voice. She could not bear to lose Sesshoumaru. "I did not offer my allegiance to you to watch you become Naraku! Get out of that place, _now!_" 

"How touching," the disembodied voice of Naraku echoed in the chamber. "I did not expect you, dear Kikyou, would actually go so far as to ally yourself with Lord Sesshoumaru to defeat me. And you two are doing well for a team, I have to admit." Kikyou noted that he showed much disinterest in the topic. 

'Does this mean that he does not know about what's happening between me and Sesshoumaru or is he simply hiding this knowledge?' Kikyou thought to herself. But her thoughts were interrupted sharply when a numerous pieces of Naraku's body began to converge and metamorphose to reform his evil face framed by curling tresses. Just then, she saw a large chunk hovering just above that hateful face. Naraku's telltale spider scar was imprinted on that large mass. 

Sesshoumaru followed Kikyou's line of sight, and he knew what she was thinking of. Target Naraku's heart. Target the spider scar. 

Unfortunately, Naraku seemed to have read Kikyou's intentions, and just when the arrow was released from the bow, a huge vine broke out from the stone ground and swiftly wrapped its spiny tendrils around the arrow's shaft, thus splitting it neatly in two even before it could reach its target. 

Kikyou kept back her amazement at this as she tried to pull another arrow from her quiver, but the vines won't let her have it. They shot at her with their long arms and knocked the bow from her hands. Before Kikyou could recover her senses, the large plant had lifted her off from the ground and moved her to an inconspicuous corner of the chamber, numerous tendrils wrapping themselves around her wrists, ankles and neck, rendering her immobile. The feel of the cold plant pressing against her neck felt rather familiar... 

"This is Kikumo's doing!" she managed to choke out, the vine further tightening its hold on her. 

"Exactly," Naraku said, amused at her trouble. "Her little plants do not seem to like you, do they?" 

Sesshoumaru's amber eyes narrowed into thin slits to see Kikyou's difficult situation. He was about to dash towards her and sever the plant's tendrils from their strong hold on Kikyou, but the pieces of Naraku that were hovering around him had sprung down and began to encase him in a black muck of demon parts, purposing to suck out his powers. 

"I would have allowed you to come to her aid, but I chose not to," Naraku told Sesshoumaru idly, his bodiless head turning to face the full demon. "I have some other business with you, Sesshoumaru-sama. How does it feel to not have the Tenseiga with you?" 

"That is none of your business, Naraku," Sesshoumaru said, casting a vile glare at the _hanyou_ as he was rooted on the spot by the sticky _youkai_ parts that are slowly engulfing him. 

Naraku smirked. "Pity, then. Kikumo hasn't allowed herself to be parted from that useless weapon of yours since she managed to get it. What have you to say about this behavior of hers?" 

Sesshoumaru's lips remained shut. 

Naraku sighed, rolling his eyes slightly to the left. "And, little toad," Naraku's evil eyes darted towards Jaken's direction. After hiding behind a pillar for most of the time, the _taiyoukai_'s retainer had broken free of his hiding place and had tried to come to Sesshoumaru's assistance. A vine tendril, however, overtook him and was now holding him upside-down above the ground by one of his feet. "You'd better just stay there." 

Sesshoumaru chose to keep his silence, and the look in his eyes was unreadable as he calmly stood, wrapped around in Naraku's filthy parts as though it meant nothing to him. Kikyou's concerned eyes met his impassive-looking amber ones, and Sesshoumaru nodded slightly in a rough assurance that he was still fine. 

Suddenly, a bright flash coming from the outside of the fortress diverted Naraku's attention, and the surprised look in his dark eyes were evident to realize that his barrier had been broken. Sesshoumaru's nose immediately caught an all-too-familiar scent that he so despised. His half-brother...he was there. 

"Kikumo, stop the intruders!" Naraku yelled out in his loudest. 

But Kikyou had chosen that very moment to call forth her miko powers, and blue holy flame shot out of her hands and engulfed the vines where they touched her. Dropping down rather unsteadily on the cold floor, Kikyou ran and picked up her bow where it lay discarded among the dark wooden boards. At once, she fished out an arrow from her quiver - one of her last ones - and aimed it at Naraku where his body parts had enfolded Sesshoumaru. 

In a flash of sacred light, Sesshoumaru was free, Naraku's jumble of demon parts flying apart into smaller shapeless chunks. Placing her own safety at the back of her mind, Kikyou ran past the random floating pieces and flung her arms around her beloved's neck. 

"Sesshoumaru!" two voices shouted out as one. 

At that moment, the fortress shook as clashing auras fought their way into Naraku's lair. 

...o0o... 

Rin was jolted awake from her sleep by Kikumo. The Demoness had on her hand a _naginata_, but what caught Rin's eye was a familiar sword that now hung from the woman's waist. Why, isn't this...? 

"No time to explain, Rin," Kikumo's hurried voice said. "We have to go now." Before Rin could react, the Deer _youkai_ had lifted her up in one arm and dashed out of the room with such speed that the little girl tightened her hold around Kikumo's neck for fear that she will be ripped from the Demoness. 

...o0o... 

One blow from the Tessaiga was all it took for the barrier wound around the dark fortress to disappear. 

"How did you trace the barrier's edge?" Miroku queried. 

Inuyasha's nose wrinkled. "Feh, my brother's scent was here...and strangely, I smell Kikyou as well." His companions' eyes widened at this last piece of information. 

"What could they be doing here?" Kagome remarked, getting hold of her bow for some action. 

"It's going to be quite a reunion for us," Sango added. Suddenly, their little conversation was interrupted by a swift-moving figure that broke its way into their circle. Out of the blue, Kagome grunted in pain. An invisible blade had cut her right arm. 

"Kagome!" Shippou, who was clinging on to the girl's shoulder's gasped in alarm to see blood flowing freely from the wound. 

"What's that?" was the only statement that reverberated in their heads for that moment. The figure ran around a bend of rock before lashing at them again, this time cutting a gash through Sango's right cheek. 

They all stood on alert now. Inuyasha lashed out many times with his Tessaiga, but the nearly invisible figure dodged his blows effortlessly, and had even managed to land several hard blows on him. 

"It's no use!" Kagome said, fitting an arrow on her bow amidst her bleeding arm. But how could she shoot a target she can't even see? "Whatever this thing is, it's too fast for us!" 

"The Wind Tunnel, Miroku!" Sango exclaimed. "It might slow this thing down!" 

Taking the demon exterminator's suggestion, the young monk untied the beads that kept the blue cloth on his right hand in place. Shouting Inuyasha a brief warning to stand out of the way, Miroku unleashed the _Kazaana_ on his hand. Sango was correct. The speedy figure began to take a definite form as the Wind Tunnel threatened to take her into its infinite depths. 

Suddenly, Miroku recoiled in pain and he instinctively tied the cloth around his right had again. Sango dashed to his side, wanting to know what ailed him. 

_"Saimyoushou,"_ was the only word that came from the pained monk's lips. The eyes of his companions then darted towards the now visible figure of a green-eyed Demoness that had long braided hair. In her right hand, she held an ebony black naginata, from her obi belt hung a rather familiar-looking sword, and her left hand cradled the dazed figure of a little girl who could not have been older than nine years. Around her, a swarm of Naraku's hell's insects began to appear, apparently to aid the cold-looking she-_youkai_. 

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Inuyasha demanded of the woman, standing alert with his Tessaiga. 

"Sesshoumaru's little brother," the woman muttered, an evil smile breaking on her lips. "I would ask the same question to you." 

"I am not _little_," Inuyasha grumbled. "But if you are on Naraku's side, I find no reason to let you live any longer." With those words, he launched an attack of _Kaze no Kizu_ at the anonymous woman. She managed to evade the attack, as Kagome had distracted him by saying that he ought to be considerate of the dazed-looking little girl that the woman was holding. 

"You shouldn't have distracted me!" Inuyasha scolded the girl. 

"You should not include that little girl in your attack!" Kagome answered back. 

Taking the momentary argument as a cue, Kikumo sprang up the stairs of the fortress and cradled the head of Rin against her shoulder. It seems her speed was too much for the little girl, as she still looked disoriented and her eyes were unfocused. But she doesn't have much time for that. Inuyasha's company was now pursuing her. 

...o0o... 

Kikumo's eyes widened to catch a glimpse of Sesshoumaru encased in Naraku's body parts. What was Naraku doing? Was he absorbing Sesshoumaru? He never told her about this...his name left her throat in an anxious scream before she could get a good hold of herself. 

She was not alone. Kikyou had called out to him as soon as her arrow had shattered Naraku into little pieces, and she had ran towards Sesshoumaru and embraced him, obviously thankful that he was alive. Kikumo knew about their relationship because she had seen them kiss through her koto's visions, but she had kept this knowledge to herself. She knew that Sesshoumaru would now protect Kikyou and not her, and that Kikyou _does_ love him in return. Kikumo had realized that she still _somehow_ loves Sesshoumaru, and seeing them together with her own eyes was enough to make her heart break. 

Out of a sudden, the Demoness reeled out to feel something hard and flying hit her back. Grunting in pain, her eyes took on an angry shade of red to see that Sango had aimed the _hiraikotsu_ at her. Kikumo unconsciously dropped Rin and the Hiroko Kama. 

Throughout all the confusion, Rin felt her body drop to the ground and finally got her eyes focused after all the fast-speed dashes in Kikumo's arms. The little girl first saw Jaken as he was dangling hopelessly from a large vine's tendrils, and realizing that she was unguarded for the time being, had come to her master's retainer's rescue, kicking at the plant until it finally dropped Jaken to the ground. 

"Jaken-sama!" She glanced around and her chocolate brown eyes widened to see Sesshoumaru-sama and Kikyou-sama embracing at the center of the dark chamber. 

"REVEAL YOURSELF, NARAKU!" Inuyasha's loud yell nearly made the fortress shake in its fundaments, but as he fought his way into the room, he nearly dropped the Tessaiga, too lost for words. 

His other companions, too, stopped with their mouths open. Sesshoumaru, the cold Demon Lord who will stop at nothing to gain his younger brother's Tessaiga, and Kikyou, the Tragic Priestess, were there, embracing. 

Sesshoumaru immediately pulled apart from Kikyou to feel the foreign auras assaulting the chamber, and his eyes briefly met with his half-brother's furious ones in the process. No words were enough to express the anger, the surprise, the hurt, the confusion...all mixed up in the younger silver-haired one's eyes. 

Naraku, however, jolted them from their thoughts as he gave the order for Kikumo to dispatch of Rin, who was still trying to waken an unconscious Jaken. 

At this, Kikyou ran into action and got hold of Kikumo's fawn locks before she could make any further move. Kikumo, with an angry screech, managed to fight the Priestess off and she got hold of her Hiroko Kama. With a flick of her fingers, she gathered and locked Naraku's formless parts into an energy shield and proceeded to sprint away in a black cloud. 

"I still have got your sword, Sesshoumaru," she said as she went. "And I am not giving it up just yet." 

Before she could be fully gone, however, Sesshoumaru had sent an energy blast at her with the Toukijin. It hit her clean on her left arm, staining her sleeve with crimson blood upon contact. Before she could help it, Kikumo looked back at him, and there was no mistaking all the hurt and sadness imprinted on her deep green eyes as she disappeared with Naraku. 

...o0o... 

Okay...we're off to a little confrontation next chapter. It seems the two _inu_ siblings will have to fight over more than just swords now... ;) 


	18. The Showdown of the Rival Brothers

**Chapter Seventeen: The Showdown of the Rival Brothers **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** Whew, it seems I could not type fast enough to keep all my readers satisfied. Well, here's the moment we've been all waiting for! The CONFRONTATION of the two _inu_ brothers! MWAHAHAHAHA! Warning, warning: some cursing, a fluffy Sesshoumaru and an annoying Inuyasha coming up ahead! 

...o0o... 

They all stood, transfixed, for several minutes after Naraku and Kikumo had gone in the dark cloud. The torches faintly illuminating the chamber flickered for a moment, but they righted their flames as soon as the dark miasma had lifted. 

Once all traces of the obscuring fog had gone, Sesshoumaru turned to face the figure of his younger brother. Inuyasha still had on the extreme emotions in his eyes when he saw the Demon Prince holding his old lover close. Now that their common enemy had gone, there was but a little, if there was any, reason left to stop the two brothers from fighting each other. 

His features knotted in fury, Inuyasha lifted the Tessaiga and lunged at his half-brother, determined to make Sesshoumaru pay for his previous action. 

Sesshoumaru, the Toukijin still at hand, immediately lifted his remaining sword and blocked the attack that would have split him in two. His lowly half-brother's reaction did not come as a surprise to him. 

"How dare you lay your filthy HAND on her!" Inuyasha bellowed, the angry features on his face illuminated by the flashes of light emanating from the clashing of the Tessaiga and Toukijin. 

"Kikyou deserves _better_ than a two-timing half-breed as _you_, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru calmly retorted, though his amber eyes were clearly seething at the nerve of his younger brother to come between him and his beloved. "Hasn't it penetrated your _insignificant_ brain that you've hurt her enough?" 

Further pushed to the edge by his older brother's words, Inuyasha let out an angry cry and the peals of metal against metal grew louder. Sparks of white light flew from their swords as Sesshoumaru gave a powerful shove and sent Inuyasha flying to the other side of the chamber. Though the dark wall cracked and several torches went a-tumbling down the cold floor, the half-demon, now motivated by jealousy and resentment, rose and sprinted back to the _taiyoukai_ in a renewed attack. 

The other living souls in the chamber could only recoil back in fear at the ferocity of the two dog brothers. Not even their fight over the Tessaiga had triggered such a release of emotion among them as it was now. 

"Inuyasha never looked so angry before!" Shippou said, trembling as he cowered behind Miroku's back to shut out the dreadful fighting scene. 

"If Kikyou-sama's involved, you should expect no less from him!" Miroku replied, pulling Sango with an untransformed Kirara on her shoulders behind a pillar to evade possible unintentional injuries made by the present battle of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. 

"Kagome-chan!" Sango called out. The girl clad in a school uniform appeared not to hear her, however. Kagome was desperately calling to Inuyasha in a last-ditch attempt to make him return to his senses. But then, Sango was distracted by another hand - Miroku's to be exact - reaching out to grab a piece of booty behind her. 

Just as the demon exterminator gave the mischievous monk yet another slap on the face, Kikyou, who was previously comforting Rin who was carrying a still unconscious Jaken in a corner, stood up and ran towards the battling figures of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha at the far end of the chamber. She was horrified at the damage the siblings were causing because of her. 

"Sesshoumaru! Inuyasha! Stop!" the Priestess called out to the brothers just as her reincarnation had done. Kagome followed Kikyou's suit and also ran to the other end of the room as they sought to put an order between the Demon Prince and his _hanyou_ brother. 

Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha appeared to be too engrossed in fighting one another that they did not hear the cries of the two women. Each one was as desperate as the other to send his brother into oblivion. 

"Filthy half-blood," Sesshoumaru said as a flash of pure energy came out of the blade of the Toukijin, targeted at his younger brother, "you were never of worth or worthy of _anything_; not even to call Kikyou by her own name!" 

However, Inuyasha managed to deflect the attack by sending the Wound of the Wind against his older sibling. _Kaze no Kizu_ had collided with the Toukijin blast, thus neutralizing the attack. 

"You, a dog demon who doesn't even know love," Inuyasha retorted, his amber eyes flashing madly, "I will not allow you to use Kikyou for your own personal pleasures!" 

At this sentence, a fearful expression appeared on Sesshoumaru's face. "_You_ swine have failed to protect her when she was in grave danger. I cannot even forgive you for causing her so much pain in the past!" The new blast that emanated from his sword was enough to nearly send Inuyasha into a swoon when it hit him, but the _hanyou_ remained stubbornly firm. 

"Please, Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed out. The collision of the Wound of the Wind and Toukijin's energy had made ripples in the hard wooden floor. The girl tripped over one protruding piece of hardwood, and she let out a soft cry of pain as the wound Kikumo gave her began to sting at the impact. 

"Sesshoumaru, don't!" Kikyou said in nearly her loudest. But the clang of the Tessaiga and the Toukijin was enough to drown her voice away. 

In the far corner of the chamber, Rin had successfully jolted Sesshoumaru's retainer back into the world of the living, and they were watching the scene between their master and his half-brother in shock. 

"Good heavens, Sesshoumaru-sama is really mad this time," Jaken muttered, observing the very viciousness of Sesshoumaru's attacks. 

"Inuyasha-san saw Sesshoumaru-sama hugging Kikyou-sama," Rin hurriedly pressed on. "He doesn't seem to like it." Jaken nearly fainted again at this last piece of news. Lord Sesshoumaru was hugging the miko? Rin was probably just seeing things... 

"There is only one step left for a common insect such as you to take," Sesshoumaru said in evenly measured tones. His Toukijin was beginning to glow a dangerous blue, as though to portray the very wrath of its wielder. _"Death..."_

Kagome looked worriedly at Kikyou. The Undead Priestess was no less troubled, and was now fitting one of her remaining arrows to her bow. What was she trying to do? 

"What really brought you and Sesshoumaru to this...?" she implored the older miko. 

"We'll get to that later, once these two have calmed down," Kikyou replied enigmatically. She did not expect the siblings' fight to go as far as them to terminate each other, but she felt that she had to do something now. Sesshoumaru hasn't the Tenseiga; he might not survive if Inuyasha really focused on his attacks. Though she still cares for her past lover enough to spare him from Sesshoumaru's fatal attacks, Kikyou knew that she will kill Inuyasha herself if he ended her beloved's life. 

"I will be the one to finish this, _brother_," Inuyasha roared, as he readied himself for his final attack. "I should have done this from the very start!" He began to swing the Tessaiga to execute the _Bakuryuuha_ at his older sibling, but he was not to do it so soon. 

_**"NO!"**_ came Kikyou's soul-twisting scream as her purity arrow flew past the flurry of light energies and find its target in the Tessaiga. In a bright light that outshone all the others, the arrow broke the transformation of the sword, and Inuyasha found himself clutching the battered-looking untransformed Tessaiga. 

"Restrain him, Kagome!" Kikyou ordered her reincarnation. She added apathetically to herself, "That was one arrow not put into good use..." 

As Kagome ran towards Inuyasha, Kikyou swiftly made her way to where Sesshoumaru stood still clutching a glowing Toukijin in his hand. Her hand gently cupped one of his cheeks, and it was all it took to cool down Sesshoumaru's raging temper. "That's better, Sesshoumaru." 

Kagome, however, was having a hard time with Inuyasha. The silver-haired _hanyou_ was struggling even as the girl got hold of his sword arm and was talking to him in a soothing tone. 

"Get away from him, Kikyou!" Inuyasha was shouting, his fists hitting air as Kagome held him back. "He'll kill you just as he had killed countless _youkai_ and humans in the past!" 

Sesshoumaru took a step forward and once more brandished the Toukijin. Kikyou, however, soothingly held onto his arm, preventing him from making any further move. 

"Let me end the wretchedness he has for a life, Kikyou," Sesshoumaru calmly told his beloved. She shook her head and looked up at him with insistent mahogany eyes. 

"Please put the Toukijin away, Sesshoumaru," she said. "Let me handle this." Reluctantly, the Demon Lord returned the sword back to his waist and got in return a disarming smile from Kikyou that made his knees turn liquid. Jaken, Rin, Miroku, Sango and Shippou could only stare as the normally authoritarian Sesshoumaru, who would take no orders from anyone, submissively yielded to the will of the Priestess. 

Kagome had had enough with Inuyasha. She decided to make use of a little charm that had always proven effective in matters like this. In a loud voice, she said, _"Osuwari!"_ The _hanyou_ was immediately sat on the broken floor, and for now he could only glare at Sesshoumaru, who gave him an equally cold face. 

"We'll talk about this in a civilized manner," Kikyou said, and no one dared to counter her. 

...o0o... 

"So, that Demoness we encountered earlier is Kikumo, and that sword she was carrying was actually the Tenseiga?" Miroku queried of Kikyou. They had gotten out of Naraku's ruined castle and back into the dark woods beyond. If their memory for time did not fail them, it was probably about midnight by then. Now, clustered around a large fire, Inuyasha's company gathered to hear about the tidings of his half-brother's group, Kikyou among them. 

Sesshoumaru was very disinclined with the idea of having to mingle with his half-brother's company, but Kikyou had requested that they settle the earlier dispute that nearly drove him and Inuyasha to the end of the world. And there was no longer any point in denying it: the Demon Lord would not have his _hanyou_ brother rival him in his affections for the Priestess. 

Therefore, though he refused to come within the inner circle that Kikyou and Rin shared with Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Shippou, Sesshoumaru was forced to sit with his back against a tree a few feet from the fire. Jaken also showed no inclination to remain with the others, but chose instead to loyally sit beside his master as Kikyou narrated to their less-liked companions the reasons why she joined the _taiyoukai_'s party as well as who the Deer _youkai_ really is. 

She, however, skipped lightly over the details on how Kikumo managed to steal the Tenseiga from Sesshoumaru and about Kikumo's past relationship with Sesshoumaru for the sake of her lover's pride. Kikyou also chose not to tell them how the Demon Lord had tried to kill her for seeing him being hoodwinked by their female fiend, and how she had nearly killed the miko, for those events were a blow to Kikyou's own ego and emotions. 

"Yes, and we ought to expect more from her now that she had also become your enemy," Kikyou nodded in the monk's direction. 

"Our first encounter with her was bad enough," Sango remarked, running a hand over the wound on her cheek and eyeing Kagome's bandaged arm. Kikumo had done these injuries to them single-handedly. Well, she did get help from Naraku's _saimyoushou_ to defend herself from Miroku, but she was already fatal to them alone. 

"Feh, but she wasn't able to get Tessaiga from me unlike what she did to my half-brother, right?" Inuyasha's voice wafted out from beyond the outer circle of people gathered around the roaring flames. He sat on a rock with his back facing them, his arms crossed over his chest, and (though they could not see it) a pout on his face. He had not chosen to linger among the others just as Sesshoumaru and Jaken had done, and had meant the remark for his older brother. 

Sesshoumaru, thanks to his sharpened sense of hearing, did not fail to hear this rather derogatory remark from Inuyasha, and he retorted unenthusiastically, "It's because she had no interest in that sword of yours that is rightfully mine. But if by chance she set her eyes on the Tessaiga, doom is your only path." 

From his solitary rock, Inuyasha growled, and his hands stubbornly fingered the hilt of his sword. Sesshoumaru, himself, already had his hand on Toukijin's handle, and Jaken was muttering out of the corner of his mouth, "Go and slash him to pieces, Lord Sesshoumaru." 

Kikyou, fortunately, had seen this silent exchange of threats, and had wisely chosen to end the fight before it even started. 

"Sesshoumaru has a point, Inuyasha," Kikyou said, hoping to make the _hanyou_ see amidst his apparent jealousy. "Naraku manipulated her into stealing the sword so he can set his plan of taking your brother's powers for his own into motion. The theft of the Tenseiga was part of his plan, and Kikumo is but his means of carrying it out." 

"But is Kikumo just a mere victim of Naraku's manipulation or does she have her own plans against us?" Sango asked. 

"I've been wondering about that too," Kagome said after a while of silence. 

"If she's indeed a powerful _youkai_, she certainly is capable of standing up to Naraku," Miroku added. 

"Yes, I know," Kikyou said. A grim expression spread over her eyes as she said so. "But she's naive enough to choose not to. Naive...or simply a slave to her own emotions." _Just like several people I know,_ Kikyou secretly added to herself. 

Just then, Rin, who has been in silent contemplation for most of the time, spoke up. 

"Do you really love Sesshoumaru-sama, Kikyou-sama?" she innocently asked of the miko, a hard-to-read expression glazing the young one's eyes. 

Kikyou was slightly taken off guard by the little girl's question. Why was she asking that sort of thing? Kikyou glanced around her companions. All their eyes were on her, and her mahogany orbs met briefly with Sesshoumaru's serene amber and Inuyasha's impatient ones in the process. They were all anticipating what she had to say, and Kikyou knew that she only had one way out: confess the truth, for the sake of them all. 

"Yes, I do, Rin," Kikyou said, not even stammering on the answer because she knew that she had made the right choice. She turned to face Sesshoumaru's direction, and she found him looking back at her. Though the expression on his face was impassive, Kikyou knew that his heart beat for her and her heart for him. "I do love Sesshoumaru." 

The reaction among the others was mixed. Sango, Miroku, Shippou and especially Kagome, stared at her in obvious disbelief for a few moments before they nodded their heads in acceptance of the Priestess' words, but Inuyasha was understandably surprised and disappointed by what she said. Jaken, too, was in utter shock, constantly shifted his vision from his Lord to the miko. The expression on their faces was unreadable, but no one could doubt the sincerity in her words, or that Sesshoumaru didn't object or deny it. 

Rin, previously serious and pensive, transformed back to her normal cheery self, her eyes once more assuming the childlike glow in them. She leaped up out of pure joy and flung her arms around Kikyou's waist. 

"Rin _knew_ you love him, Kikyou-sama!" the little girl said excitedly, looking up at Kikyou with a bright expression on her face. "Rin _knew_ Kikumo-sama wasn't saying the truth. Rin didn't believe Kikumo-sama!" 

Kikyou stared at Rin with confusion in her mahogany eyes as she uncertainly petted the child's hair pulled up in a ponytail. "What do you mean, Rin?" Did Kikumo attempt to poison Rin's mind during her brief abduction? 

Rin hurriedly drew in her breath and said, "She said Kikyou-sama is a bad woman, and that you are only fooling Sesshoumaru-sama. She also said that you wanted to kill Inuyasha-san, but Rin will never believe her again!" 

Kikyou silently cursed the Demoness. How dare she try to make Rin think badly of her! Well, she had just failed - again. Rin's trust is in Kikyou's hands, and never in that despicable Deer _youkai's_. Well, she _had_ once wished to kill Inuyasha, but that was when she still did not know of Naraku's trickery. But she no longer wished to kill anything since she found love in Sesshoumaru, that is, except Naraku. 

"What do you find in _him_, Kikyou?" Inuyasha nearly exclaimed, standing up and facing his past lover with misty amber eyes. "Can't you see him for who he was: a power-hungry demon who is incapable of _real_ love?" 

Sesshoumaru also stood up, nearly stepping on Jaken in the process. The nerve of that tainted half-breed to denounce him before Kikyou... Now that Kikyou had made it clear that she loved him, can't _he_ accept the fact that she is no longer _his_ concern? 

"Watch your tongue, _brother_, or you will no longer have one," Sesshoumaru retorted, his amber eyes flashing angrily. "You, a weak _hanyou_, must not waste your time going after someone when it has been made clear that your efforts are fruitless." The lightning bolts of rivalry emanating from the two brothers became so dense that their very companions could feel their clashing energies. 

"You have repeatedly criticized Dad's love for humanity and for my Mom!" Inuyasha immediately countered. "You have even claimed that you didn't inherit his heart for humans. Kikyou will never be happy in your presence!" 

"Humans are _weak_, but Kikyou does not possess such an easily corrupted heart, and I love her for that," Sesshoumaru replied, sparing his beloved a rather tender look before hardening his features again at his brother. "You already have taken the Tessaiga when it should rightfully be in my hand, and you had gone so far as to deprive me of my left limb, but if you even _think_ of taking Kikyou from me, I'll stop at nothing to lay your world into waste." 

Their companions could only stare with amazement. Was this silver-haired demon boldly challenging Inuyasha the same Sesshoumaru they had known? 

"Please, calm down, you two," Kikyou's voice drove them from their personal musings. She then focused her eyes on Inuyasha, determined to get an answer from him. "Inuyasha, I have made my choice, and you now is also your time. You love Kagome, do you not?" 

At this statement, Inuyasha's eyes widened and uneasiness began to overwhelm his being. "Well...you see... I... Well, I..." His amber orbs met Kagome's dark eyes, and the modern girl immediately averted her gaze from him. 

"Come on, Inuyasha, just admit it," Shippou whispered inside Miroku's ear. 

"At least they're quarreling over more important things than swords now," Miroku whispered back. 

"Well, Inuyasha?" came Kagome's voice. The half-demon uncertainly shifted his line of sight from Kikyou's serene features to Kagome's rather gloomy outlook. What a crucial choice he should make... 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and his hand once more grasped the handle of the Toukijin. Just he say the wrong name, and his head would be lopped off his unwanted body in an instant. 

"Well...yes, I do... I do love Kagome," finally came out of Inuyasha's mouth. 

"Then I guess that settles it?" Kikyou said cheerfully, a twinkle coming to her eyes. "You love my reincarnation; I love your brother. We are all happy with it." 

Inuyasha gaped at Kikyou. He was not at all happy with the Priestess falling for his detested half-brother. 

"You must understand by now, Inuyasha," Kikyou continued in a mellower tone, "that you are unhappy because you could not decide whom you should love...that if you really care for me and my reincarnation, you would fully give your heart to Kagome and let go of me." 

"How true she is," Sango muttered under her breath, directing the remark to the monk sitting beside her. Miroku smiled guiltily, but made no comment. 

After a few moments of silence, Kikyou stood up and made her way to Sesshoumaru. Sparing a look at a still dumbfounded Inuyasha over her shoulders, she said, "Think about what I said, Inuyasha." 

Miroku and Sango also stood up. 

"I guess we could sleep now, right?" Sango remarked with a big smile as they retreated to their own part of the camp where they would sleep for the night. 

"'Night to all of you!" Miroku said after a big yawn, leaving behind Kagome with Inuyasha. They looked at each other uncertainly, and they could not help but turn red in the face. 

Content with what had come to pass, Kikyou slipped her arm around Sesshoumaru's only arm and they went behind a large tree, leaving her reincarnation and his brother to talk all by themselves. Rin sat herself beside a wide-eyed figure of Jaken who was still staring where their master and his now apparent lover had gone. 

"Aren't they so sweet, Jaken-sama?" Rin said cheerfully to herself, amazed at the toady retainer's disbelief. What could probably be happier than Sesshoumaru-sama being together with Kikyou-sama? "See, Rin was right after all..." 

...o0o... 

"I suppose one worry is lifted off your shoulders, then?" Kikyou asked Sesshoumaru softly. The Demon Prince smiled as she untied the cord that pulled her hair back in a loose ponytail, letting the long raven locks cascade down her shoulders like a river of black. 

"Indeed, and I thank you for that," he replied tenderly. He then slipped his arm around her waist, gently grasping her right hand to motivate her to rest her weight against him as he sat down against the tree. This, she did, and gradually sat herself on his extended left leg as she rested her head against his soft pelt. Kikyou then placed her other hand over his, and Sesshoumaru let his cheek rest on her forehead as he nuzzled her gently. 

"What matters is we're together for now," she whispered, closing her eyes as he kissed her forehead and affectionately squeezed her hand. 

_For now..._

...o0o... 

"You never told me you intended to absorb him," came Kikumo's voice. There was no mistaking the annoyance in the alto tone. 

"Why would you care?" Naraku hissed back, though he was secretly amused at the Deer Demoness' words. "You hated him, don't you?" 

"And for that, I wish that all traces of his power vanquished," Kikumo replied after hesitating a bit. "And not metamorphose and live on in a being like you." 

Naraku's lips smirked and an evil shine began to glaze his dark eyes. 

'Worry not, my dear, for the burden you have placed upon yourself is close to being lifted...' 

...o0o... 

Okay, we are going to go fast now. I am also rushing, and I intend to finish this fic about three or four chapters from now. I have to get back to school in June, ya know. ;) 


	19. The Battle for the Shikon Shards

**Chapter Eighteen: The Battle for the Shikon Shards **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** This chapter's gonna have some real action, people. Also, thanks very much, Eruanne, for your beta reading! ;) 

...o0o... 

Kikumo's green eyes darted around her to check for any possible assault. But all was quiet. 

Cursing silently to herself, the Deer Demoness walked into a forest with the ease of a fleeting shadow, bent on carrying out yet another of Naraku's instructions. 

'The time has come for the Tama to be completed,' the evil hanyou's voice echoed in her mind. 'Go forth, therefore, and get the last of the remaining shards from the miko's reincarnation.' 

Kikumo had calmly retorted that the task was close to impossible. Had Naraku gone blind? She was a full _youkai_, and demons could not sense where the shards are kept. 

Naraku, however, had a ready reply. The _saimyoushou_ shall tell her where to find it. Kikumo spared an annoyed look at the insects hovering around her, sent by Naraku to help and as well spy on her. He was particularly amused when he saw the Priestess and the Demon Lord in an intimate moment earlier, and had even questioned her thoroughly why she had not seen this. 

Her eyes narrowing in growing suspicion, Kikumo carried on, trying very hard to discern the remnants of scent on the ground. However, her clan was not blessed with a sense of smell as keen as that of the Dog and Wolf tribe. Rather, it was their ears that guided them most among their senses, and could detect even the faintest rustle among the grasses. 

'Curse you, Naraku,' she thought to herself. 'You dare to absorb Sesshoumaru without me knowing, eh? Just you try to kill him and I will unleash the true power of the Hiroko Kama on you...' She was more than alarmed when she uncovered the evil one's hidden motives. He wishes to make himself stronger by taking a more powerful _youkai_'s power for his own? Kikumo knew only too well that she was nearly as powerful as Sesshoumaru, and Naraku had probably set his eyes on taking her powers as well. That should not happen. Ever. 

A small sound from under some brush caught her ear, and Kikumo stilled her steps, the Hiroko Kama held out before her in an offensive stance. But as the moments passed, she discerned that the sound was that of a small animal whimpering in pain. 

Emerald eyes, previously alert and fierce, softened and Kikumo silently approached the little bush, effortlessly swatting aside some _saimyoushou_ as they tried to stop her from doing so. Gently parting the young branches, the Deer youkai beheld a young rabbit, one of its hind legs bleeding from a fresh wound, staining the few remnants of snow with crimson. It must have been attacked by a fox or a wolf; animals are bound to appear now that spring had come. 

Gently, Kikumo held out her hand and soothingly ran her fingers over the gash. The young animal was understandably pained, and put up a severe struggle. Kikumo, however, transformed the Hiroko Kama back into its koto form and plucked a few strings. The rabbit's ears perked up for a moment, but soon relaxed in the Demoness' hold. 

Now that the animal was calm, the Deer Demoness spat on her hand and gently rubbed it on the rabbit's wounded leg. At once, the wound began to close up and soon the rabbit was able to hop normally again. 

"Go back to your family now," Kikumo said in a whisper as she plucked another series of notes on her koto. The rabbit, apparently understanding her words, hopped further into the forest, leaving behind its tracks on the melting snow. "Go back to your family, and do not follow my example." 

She sighed, for though she had left the Western Lands partly in pursuit of the one who had hurt her in the past, the closeness she once felt with her clan was not to be driven away, and now that she had come to realize that her life as a restless wanderer had begun to weary her, she longed to go home. But was there a home to go back to? She had forsaken them; she had betrayed her lover and he had found another who loved him in return; she could not trust the one whom she had allied herself to... Her life had taken a miserable turn, and she only had got herself to blame. 

Although she had changed much, deep inside, she retained the principles that the Deer clan valued: to care for the earth and beautify it. If she was not doing errands for that filthy Naraku, she would go out of his dark domain and tend the forests nearby. Kikumo hated Naraku's dark residences, for no plant could take root in its desecrated soil as long as the _hanyou_ resided in it. 

The _saimyoushou_'s subtle buzzing in her ear drove Kikumo from her musings, and she looked up to see what they were trying to make her do. Her deep green eyes widened to see the dot of a fire some distance away, and as a gentle breeze made its way to her, she caught the scent of her victims suspended in the wind. There was no turning back now. 

Her fingertips grazed the koto's ebony black surface, and it once more took on the form of a _naginata_. Clutching the weapon tightly in one hand, she let her other hand rest on the hilt of the Tenseiga as though by doing so she would regain her courage. But knowing that Sesshoumaru loves Kikyou, all that it gave her were more pangs of hurt and jealousy. She glanced at her arm that he had wounded earlier, and though she had managed to regain full use of her limb thanks to her medicinal plants' help, it served to her as a reminder that Sesshoumaru had indeed turned himself against her. 

Pursing her lips in a determined way, she took a step forward and sought to finish Naraku's bidding as soon as she could. Taking off her hair stick, she plunged it into the still damp soil in several strategic areas to protect her when needed. Smirking to herself, she stood up and carried on, with her plants sprouting in her wake. 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru felt a familiar aura approaching them. Gently but urgently, he roused the sleeping figure of Kikyou. Her eyes fluttered open, and widened as she, too, felt Kikumo's powerful aura. 

"She's coming," the Demon Prince whispered in the Priestess' ear. "Go and warn the others. I'll hold her off." 

Nodding swiftly, she stood up gracefully and reached for her weapons strewn on the ground. Noticing that only two arrows remained in her quiver, the third one having been used to break the Tessaiga's transformation, she knew that she was in a perilous predicament. She could procure more souls with ease, but crafting more arrows by hand at such a tense time is out of the question. 

Still, Kikyou armed herself and took off in their companions' direction after sparing a look of assurance for Sesshoumaru. No time must be wasted. 

She had only run several feet when a large, thorny something swiped past her, leaving a stinging sensation to linger on her torso. Before she knew it, Kikyou let out a single cry of pain that did not go unnoticed. Sesshoumaru's sharp ears picked up the sound, and he did not hesitate. He pulled out his Toukijin and rushed towards the direction of the cry. 

Struck by the same thorny entity, he staggered back a few feet. He brandished Toukijin defensively and his eyes darted to and fro searching for the mysterious item that had struck him. 

His amber eyes narrowed as he identified a great snakelike vine of thorns creeping up from his right. He was distracted, however, by another piercing scream of pain from his beloved. He made out the form of Kikyou kneeling on the forest floor, the forbidding vine swinging back for another attack on her. 

"Kikyou, behind you!" Sesshoumaru called out, trying to fight his way towards her. But another tendril of the vine was keeping him busy. He angrily hacked at the plant with his sword, only to have it regenerate itself in front of his eyes. 

The miko dodged the vine as it swung towards her, narrowly missing a few inches. Painfully, she stood up, struggling to keep on her feet. Sesshoumaru had managed to leap towards her, concern evident in his action. 

"I am all right; I am all right, Sesshoumaru," she gasped, but the repetition in her statement clearly indicated that she wasn't. 

"Save your strength and your arrows," he replied, apparently noticing the depleted number of her arrows. Protectively, he stood against her back as the vine launched another attack at the pair. Kikyou dodged, pain searing through her abdomen as she did so. There was no wound, but the impact earlier rendered her a bruise. 

The Demon Lord felt his heart clench to hear her pained gasp, and he swung the Toukijin at the plant's limb that threatened to strangle them to their deaths. But he knew that it only proved futile, as another stem grew to replace the one lost. 

'What is this new handiwork of yours, Kikumo?' he thought as he hovered close to his beloved, bracing himself as numerous branches of the vine slithered about them and blocked out all the escape routes, completely encircling them in a cage of tangled thorns and leaves. 

...o0o... 

Kagome felt as though she had just lost the ability to breathe when she was wakened by the cold sharp metal pressed against her neck. Opening her frightened eyes, she beheld a willowy female figure blocking out the light of the fire. Wait a minute...those clothes, that hair, those eyes...is this Kikumo? 

"Hand over the Shikon shards to me," Kikumo's alto voice demanded, pressing the blade of the Hiroko Kama further on the girl's neck. Kagome made out a swarm of _saimyoushou_ hovering around them, and she knew that Naraku was once more behind this. She had the bottle of jewel shards in her pocket, but she was in no way giving it to the Deer _youkai_. 

"Tell Naraku that if he wishes for the shards, he would have to get it himself," Kagome retorted, inching away from the Demoness, but the silvery blade followed her and soon her back met the rough trunk of a tree. She looked around frantically, searching for someone who might come to her help. But her other companions were not within her sight, and Inuyasha was probably somewhere in the forest. Kagome last saw him disappearing into the dark shadows a few hours earlier, possibly on a stroll to reflect on what they had just talked about before going to bed. 

Kikumo's deep green eyes blazed with suppressed anger. "I am not a messenger, girl," she hissed. "Give me those damn shards or I shall make your head roll on the ground!" With those words, she swung the _naginata_ at the hapless girl. 

The newly opened leaves of the forest gave a shudder at the ear-piercing scream that echoed in the woods. 

...o0o... 

Miroku, Sango and Shippou were jolted awake by Kagome's scream. 

"Kagome must be in trouble!" the young monk exclaimed, and they all dashed out of their blankets and went for the main camp. 

"Why isn't Inuyasha protecting her?" Shippou asked, clinging on to Miroku's shoulder. "I thought they've already settled their dispute with Kikyou and his brother." 

"We'll run over the events later, Shippou," Sango muttered, clutching on to the hiraikotsu so as to prepare herself from any attack. Soon, their surprised eyes viewed the figure of Kagome crawling frantically on the ground; Kikumo was looming over her with her weapon raised, ready to impale the young woman with the Hiroko Kama. _"Leave Kagome alone, you demon!"_

The wind screamed as the Flying Bone cut its way through the air. Kikumo, distracted, was forced to step back and dodge the large boomerang as it swung towards her, giving Kagome enough time to scramble to safety towards her companions. Kikumo, however, was extremely infuriated at this new challenge. 

"Give me the shards before I send all of you to the other side!" she cried. They tumbled down on the hard ground as the earth shook under their feet, seemingly sharing the rage of the Deer Demoness. Miroku was about to uncover his _Kazaana_, but Sango alarmingly pointed at the swarm of Hell's Insects hovering around Kikumo. Angrily, he held out his monk's staff and Sango once more got hold of the _hiraikotsu_. 

"Run, Kagome, run!" Sango shouted, and they blocked the way to let Kikyou's reincarnation dash into the forest. Kikumo, however, would not allow herself to be restrained, and several _saimyoushou_ had broken off the swarm to follow Kagome as she sought to escape. 

"That's very valiant of you to defend that girl," Kikumo muttered, the two arcs over her eyebrows beginning to glow a sinister red. "But your efforts will soon be wasted." 

With a heated battle cry, the demon exterminator once more threw her boomerang at their female enemy, but this time, Kikumo was prepared. 

"Child's play," Kikumo said in a whisper, smirking as she held a single chrysanthemum petal between her middle and index fingers. With a flick of her hand, the petal elongated and became a sharp arc. This arc collided with the _hiraikotsu_, sending the weapon out of its momentum and it fell on the ground at the Demoness' feet. Her deep green eyes then made its way to Miroku. "You are next, monk." 

Miroku made Sango move behind him, and he made a holy energy in the form bright light shoot out of his staff. For a second, they were engulfed in a miasma of brightness, but Kikumo twirled the Hiroko Kama around and divided the light into ribbons which soon faded away. The Demoness then leaped up the air and swung the naginata at the monk, seeking to cleave him in half. 

Miroku, by some instinct, held out his staff, and sparks of white and blue escaped as the blade met with the rod of the staff. This seemed to hold her out for a moment, but Miroku soon grew weary because of Kikumo's powerful _youki_ and his staff was swatted away just like the _hiraikotsu_. The monk crumpled to his knees, out for the count. 

Sango threw herself over Miroku's worn out form in a last-ditch attempt to protect him. Shippou leaped on top of them, determined to protect his friends, but when he met Kikumo's deep green eyes that have a scary crazed glow on them, the little fox demon lost control and all that all that he managed to do was transform into a pinkish blob that struggled to hide behind his companions. 

A roar came out from behind Kikumo, and she barely had time to block out large paws as Kirara in fighting form leaped up at her. With a grunt, the _youkai_ pushed the ebony handle of her weapon against the Cat demon's throat, sending it flying backwards. Sango tried to use this distraction to get away with Miroku, but his exhausted body weighed them down. 

Deciding to end her business with this group, she took her hair stick and plunged it on the earth. From it grew a red-colored plant that was no more than a hand's height. Small it was, but its powerful sweet-smelling odor was a deadly drug in itself. Kikumo, before the plant's poison could also take hold of her, ran after Kagome with the _saimyoushou_ trailing behind her. 

Sango struggled to fight the weight of sleep on her eyelids, but the sweet scent soon assailed her senses, and she fell asleep in a heap on a ground just like Kirara and the rest. 

...o0o... 

"Kagome-sama, Kagome-sama!" Rin's young voice diverted Kagome's attention. The modern girl stopped running and she saw the youngest member of Sesshoumaru's company running towards her with the toady Jaken following. "Where are you going?" 

"Rin," Kagome hurriedly said between deep intakes of breath after all that running. "Go and warn your Sesshoumaru-sama that Kikumo's here. She's after the Shikon shards!" 

"Kikumo-san?" was all Rin could say before the iron grip got hold of her and Kagome's waists and lifted them several feet up in the air. 

Kagome and Rin struggled and did their best to fight off the large ivy, but the plant's grip on them tightened, and soon they were suffocating. Rin screamed and called out to Jaken. 

_"Jaken-sama, help us!"_

Before Jaken could do any further move, however, a blur of red shot out from the corner of his eye and a familiar voice which was higher than Lord Sesshoumaru's deep wont said, "Get out of the way, you useless toad!" 

The Tessaiga cut through the limbs of the ivy holding captive the two humans, and Kagome, who had caught Rin in her arms before the little girl could fall and break her neck, soon found herself in Inuyasha's hold. The _hanyou_ had been dozing off up a tree some distance from their camp when the screams of the women made his doggy ears twitch, and he had come hasting to their rescue. 

"Inuyasha..." Kagome muttered in a half-surprised, half-loving tone, her dark eyes locking with Inuyasha's amber ones in a manner similar with Kikyou and Sesshoumaru. But before they could thank the half-demon, the plant, previously still, gave a shudder and new regenerated ivy arms shot out at the air and made for them. 

Cursing under his breath, Inuyasha put Kagome and Rin down. With a shout, he slashed through the large leafy tangles, but they seemed to taunt him, regenerating its limbs as quickly as he cut them. 

"Get away, Kagome!" he roared as he slashed at a leafy vine that tried to make its way to the humans. "Leave this plant to me!" 

Kagome was about to protest, but an ivy limb that tried to get hold of one of her ankles told her that she should not question him. Still carrying Rin in her arms, the reincarnation ran deeper into the forest with Jaken desperately running behind, trying to escape the pursuer that was swiftly closing in on them. 

...o0o... 

Kagome, exhausted with her wounded arm throbbing dully, looked hopelessly at the direction where she just came from. The trees were beginning to tremble slightly, and soon that slight trembling intensified into violent shaking. Nature seemed to anticipate the coming of the paragon of the Deer clan. 

She struggled to get on her feet again, but she was already winded after running incessantly. The trees would soon give way to the regal form of the Demoness, and Kagome braced herself for another fiery encounter. 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru's temper was beginning to get hold of him. He had slashed endlessly at the thorny hands that sought to get hold of them, but they showed no desire to give up the fight. Kikyou, who had gotten over the bruise that the plant had given earlier, was no less in action. Though she took to heart Sesshoumaru's suggestion that she shouldn't use the remnants of her arrows, she made use of her blue flame to handle their enemy. 

"This plant has to have a weakness!" Kikyou said as she sent a ball of blue fire at a clump of thorns clubbing its way to her. Her mahogany eyes, becoming weary with each second, narrowed to see healthy plant organs grow over the burned stalks. Out of a sudden, she reeled down as a heavy plant tentacle got hold of her ankle and began to drag her across the ground. 

The Priestess dug her fingers into the damp soil in an attempt to keep herself in place, but the plant had wrapped itself around her legs in a grip as strong as iron bands. More thorny tendrils wrapped themselves around her, and soon Kikyou found herself enveloped in a cocoon of flesh-piercing thorns and ropelike stalks. She felt as though she was slowly being crushed by the embodiment of Kikumo's wrath. 

"Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou's voice calling out his name broke Sesshoumaru's concentration, and the plant tendril he was fighting lashed out at his wrist. The Toukijin went flying and it attached itself blade down on the ground quite a distance from him. Sesshoumaru was about to run and recover his sword, but numerous plants interwove and blocked his way. 

_"Sesshoumaru!"_ one more call, clearly more pained and distressed than the previous one, made the Demon Prince turn in his tracks. His keen sense of sight made out Kikyou's pale hand, fingers spread open and rigid, sticking out from a tangle of vines elevated above him. A whip like tendril lashed out at him, as though attempting to keep him from going to his beloved. 

_"Don't stand on my way!"_ Sesshoumaru shouted out loud, his anger vented out as he summoned up his _Dokkasou_ from his fingers. As his poison whip collided with the plant's tendril, the green organs seemed to melt under the acidic quality of the whip, and it did not regenerate again. 

Now seeing a breach in the plant's powers, Sesshoumaru leaped up in the air and cut the tendrils holding the vine cocoon aloft with his poison. Once the tangle of tendrils had fallen on the ground, he hurriedly cut open the intertwined vine locks, and soon, Kikyou's head with her raven hair in a disarray appeared from the tangle. Her beautiful eyes were closed, and Sesshoumaru quickened his pace at freeing her from the vines, hoping against hope that she was still all right. 

Kikyou let out a gasp as she was able to breathe again, and she felt herself being drawn into a warm, possessive embrace as Sesshoumaru lifted her out of the vines with all the gentleness he could muster. The thorns had marred the perfect smoothness of Kikyou's skin, and she wrapped her arms around him as he whispered in her ear, "You gave me the fright of my life, beloved." 

The Priestess dug her face against his neck, but her eyes once more widened in alarm to see a large plant stalk threatening to club them both. She flicked her fingers, and fire shot out of her hand at the plant. Sesshoumaru smelled the new stalk burning, and he let go of his grasp around Kikyou's waist to spray a dose of poison at the plant before it could regenerate again. 

"I am getting us out of here," the taiyoukai muttered to her. "Get on my back." 

"Pardon?" Kikyou, who by then had recovered her bow and slung it across her back, could hardly believe her ears. Does he have to humble himself to that extent for her? 

"Time is crucial, Kikyou," Sesshoumaru pressed on. "We have to get out of this plant's grasp as quickly as we can, and I cannot deliver my _Dokkasou_ if I am carrying you with my one arm." 

Another vine whipped out at them, and Kikyou finally yielded to her beloved. She held on to his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist. It was only then that she noticed that he was totally missing all his swords. 

"Where's the Toukijin, Sesshoumaru?" 

"We're going to retrieve it now. Hold on to me tightly." 

A soft cry left Kikyou's lips as Sesshoumaru swiftly leaped up in the air, and she tightened her hold on him as she ducked the few tendrils that threatened to entangle themselves in her raven hair. Sesshoumaru was lashing out with his poison whip, and the plants it touched did not grow again. His silvery strands mingled with Kikyou's dark hair and his furry pelt brushed against her in a comforting caress as she rested her chin on his left shoulder. 

Her mahogany eyes made out the form of the Toukijin where it lay stuck on the ground. Numerous vines dashed up to intercept them, but Sesshoumaru effortlessly cut them to pieces with his Dokkasou. He touched down for a brief time on the ground, grabbed hold of the sword's hilt and returned it once more to his sash, careful not to cut Kikyou's leg in the process. 

Now that his sword was with them, he leaped up once again and destroyed the vines that dared to come in his path. Kikyou, clinging on to his back, could not help but be amazed at his stamina. 

"You seem to be flying, Sesshoumaru!" she said, admiration evident in her tone. 

"Someday, I'll give you a taste on how it feels to really fly, Kikyou," Sesshoumaru replied, a grin spreading on his features as he slashed at a large vine tentacle, neatly splitting it in half. "And that day may come soon..." 

...o0o... 

"There are bees behind you, Jaken-sama!" Rin alerted Sesshoumaru's retainer. They had run deeper into the forest, and Rin clasped in her hands a bottle that had numerous glasslike shards in it. Kagome had given her the bottle of the Shikon shards in a last-ditch attempt to keep Naraku from obtaining the full Shikon no Tama. 

Jaken looked from over his shoulder, and his round eyes widened to recognize the _saimyoushou_. 

"These are no ordinary bees, Rin," he told the little girl. He boldly stood between Rin and the Hell's Insects with the Staff of Heads brandished before him. "They are Naraku's spies, and Kikumo will get us if we don't kill them." 

Having said so, Jaken made fire come out one of the heads and it swiftly engulfed the swarm that had begun to hover around them. But a single _saimyoushou_ that had hidden behind some leaves was spared from the burning and it quickly but silently flew to back to where the Deer Demoness was currently threatening Kagome. 

...o0o... 

"Hand over the shards NOW!" Kikumo said ominously. 

"I won't!" Kagome stubbornly refused, weakly drawing back as the Demoness tried to strike her through the heart with the Hiroko Kama. 

"You won't?" Kikumo craftily replied. "Then I have no reason to let you live." The Hiroko Kama's blade flashed as Kikumo held it above her head. She was about to smite Kagome in half when a single _saimyoushou_ appeared from the forest and buzzed something in her ear. Kikumo's deep green eyes turned an angry shade of red at the news. 

"So, you gave the shards to the little girl?" she said as Kagome further inched away from her. But Kikumo had had enough. Forming a fist with her left hand, the Deer _youkai_ struck the girl clean on the head, knocking her out. 

Once the deed was done, Kikumo sped deeper into the woods, leaving Kagome lying unconscious on the forest floor. 

...o0o... 

The haunting tunes of a koto reached the ears of Rin and Jaken, and they instantly knew that their pursuer was near. 

"We must run, Jaken-sama! Jaken-sama...!" Rin hastily exclaimed, but the toady demon had collapsed, asleep, on the ground, as the magic of the music took hold of his senses. The little girl, herself, felt drowsiness taking control of her limbs as the tones bored their way into her skull. 

In desperation, Rin covered her ears with her hands and ran, the task entrusted to her by Kagome ringing in her mind. She must not fail. 

Gradually, the music of the koto began to fade from her ears, and Rin cautiously removed her hands from her ears and slowed her steps. She was tired, and looking up at the few splotches of sky visible among the leaves, the little girl saw that the dark inky night sky was already beginning to lighten into blue. Dawn was close to coming. 

Looking around her and seeing no possible evil assault, Rin took out the bottle of Shikon shards from her kimono and looked at it closely. What could Kikumo probably want with those shards? They looked no more like broken glass to the little girl. 

A swish of silken robes, and Rin's eyes widened for a moment in shock before closing. The human girl fell down, unconscious. The bottle rolled from her hands, and fell to a stop before sandaled feet. Kikumo stooped down and got hold of the little jar, the expression on her face numb. Her green eyes keenly observed the tinkling shards as they resided in the bottle. That was it. The shards of the Shikon no Tama. 

Pulling her ochre shawl closer to her, a deer appeared where Kikumo stood earlier, and the _youkai_ disappeared from the forest as though her presence there had never been. 

...o0o... 

Whoa, that was kinda long, wasn't it? Well, this story will certainly have lots of action before it ends! I don't wanna keep you too disappointed, ya know! ;) 


	20. The Formation of a New Alliance

**Chapter Nineteen: The Formation of a New Alliance **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** OK, so you REALLY want Kikumo to die, eh? -.- All right, all right, she WILL indeed die, but I'm not telling ya when. I don't wanna spoil the ending for my readers! -.o 

...o0o... 

"Kikumo has made this forest her domain!" Kikyou muttered as she held on to her beloved's shoulders. Sesshoumaru, with Kikyou hugging on to his back and whispering assurances into his ear, was darting through the flurry of plants as fast as his demon speed could go. But wherever they went, they met similar vines that sought to grab and crush them in their wiry hands. 

"No matter, she still lies in the mercy of my powers," Sesshoumaru replied coolly, his amber eyes flashing as he fluidly maneuvered his poison whip with his index and middle finger, neatly splitting the ivy tendrils that reached out to wrap their leafy boughs around the pair. 

Kikyou's lips curved up slightly, and she gently squeezed her lover's shoulders to give him the message that her trust was with him. Out of the blue, a blur of red that had numerous ivy locks wrapped around it collided with them. The force wrenched Kikyou from Sesshoumaru, and sent her flying straight into the grip of the ivies. 

Sesshoumaru, himself, was drawn off his combat rhythms by the offending person, and he was forced to drop down to the ground so as not to be caught in the angry fingers of the vine. No sooner had his feet touched down when the red, bulky something fell beside him, missing him a few inches. 

The _taiyoukai_'s golden orbs narrowed to recognize that detested figure struggling to raise himself from the partly snow-frosted ground. Inuyasha, who was winded judging by the looks of his numerous bruises and scratches, was still clutching on to his sword even as he fell. 

"What are you doing here?" his older brother demanded, his hand still glowing green from his _Dokkasou_. 

"Feh, I would ask you the same question," the younger replied, breathing heavily. It wouldn't take an expert to see that Inuyasha had gone through several battles that cost him much of his strength before he encountered his brother and Kikyou. 

Kikyou's shrill scream diverted the siblings' attentions, and it was only then that Sesshoumaru realized that Kikyou was no longer on his back. The Priestess was overcome by intertwined ivy tendrils, and the hostile plants had lifted her up in their iron grip beyond their reach. 

Sparing numerous mental curses at Inuyasha for causing this new predicament, Sesshoumaru bounded up the air once more, determined to go after his beloved. His half-brother, wearied though he was, stood up valiantly and leaped after his brother in a race to rescue the Undead Miko. 

"How can you let her be taken by these vines, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha heatedly questioned the greater demon. His fatigue was beginning to get the best of him, and he was lagging behind as Sesshoumaru stepped on the stronger vines with the sinuous grace of their clan to bring himself higher. 

"Kikyou is safe in my grasp," Sesshoumaru replied coldly, keeping his eyes fixed on the struggling figure of Kikyou as he dodged and slashed, but she was still too far away. "Yet you appeared out of nowhere and foiled everything." 

Inuyasha gave a low grunt. "Well, it wasn't my fault! I was battling my own share of plants, you know!" 

To this, Sesshoumaru gave no answer. He was too intent on reaching Kikyou, whose muffled cries were slowly being gagged by the ivy. One powerful leap, and he shot up the forest canopy, his poison whip once more drawn from his fingers. 

"Kikyou!" The beautiful Priestess immediately turned to her lover's direction, and one of her pale hands reached out to him, struggling to bridge the gap between them. But it was rather futile, as the ivy tauntingly, if not threateningly, moved Kikyou farther from Sesshoumaru, sending her into a wild and dizzying roller coaster ride among the trees and vines. 

A strong rush of wind energy tore past the vines, making Sesshoumaru's platinum hair fly from his face. He looked down angrily to where Inuyasha was; his brother had fired the Kaze no Kizu at the vines holding Kikyou, at a total risk to the miko's life. To top it all up, the plants only regenerated and further tightened their hold on the woman. 

_"Fool!"_ Sesshoumaru admonished his half-brother, his amber eyes blazing with anger. "Your attacks will not have any effect on these plants; only my Dokkasou can keep them at bay!" 

Inuyasha alighted on a strong tree limb and glanced furiously at his brother. "Just get out of the way, Sesshoumaru!" 

Kikyou, her strength failing and her vision still spinning, wrenched away the ivy tendrils that had gagged her mouth and screamed, "Look out, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha!" The brothers barely had time to hear her warning when a vine, larger than anything they had seen before with a stalk as large as an average man's waist, went crashing in their direction. Sesshoumaru, his reflexes still acute, was able to jump out of harm's way before the plant could club him, but his brother was not so lucky. The vine caught Inuyasha neatly on the waist, nearly knocking the air out of him, and held him upside down as Sesshoumaru continued to dash after Kikyou. 

Inuyasha's senses went all haywire as the blood began to rush to his brain. Numerous tendrils had wrapped themselves around the blade of the Tessaiga, seeking to deprive him of his main weapon. 

"Oh no, you won't!" he roared, setting up a fierce struggle as he held on desperately to the hilt of his sword to keep it from being taken. The humungous vine holding him upside down had begun to shake him violently, that the hanyou felt as though he would throw up. 

Suddenly, his upside down vision made out a large ball of greenery, nearly unnoticeable because of the amount of plants and vines thrashing and growing from it. It was brownish in color, and was pulsating dully. Could it be...? 

"Brace yourself, Kikyou!" Sesshoumaru warned his beloved as his whip severed the vines holding her up in the air in one stroke. Now that no plant was holding her aloft, Kikyou began to fall into the void of tangled plant stalks below. 

Sesshoumaru immediately took off after her, and his hand grabbed hold of Kikyou's smaller one as it reached out to him. Holding her close to his chest, they plunged down into the forest; by some miracle, none of the plant tendrils reached out to grab them. In a swift moment, they lay sprawled on the forest floor, Sesshoumaru's furry pelt cushioning their impact. 

"Target that! Target that!" Inuyasha's frantic voice made Sesshoumaru and Kikyou sit up. The half-demon was still aloft and upside down, engaging in a furious struggle with the plants as they tried to take the Tessaiga away. Inuyasha was holding on to the sword's hilt with one hand while the other pointed with frenzied fingers at a certain point among the plants. 

The pair's eyes widened in recognition; the pulsating ball was the plant's heart, and if they wished to kill the plant once and for all, they ought to destroy that brown-colored plant ball. 

Kikyou stood up and got hold of her bow and one of her remaining arrows. She spared a concerned look at Sesshoumaru. He had gotten up to one of his knees, but he was breathing a little heavier than usual. What Kikyou had feared was taking place; Sesshoumaru was beginning to tire after ceaselessly battling with the plants for many hours. 

"Sesshoumaru!" 

"I am fine, Kikyou," he assured her, and to prove his words, he stood up regally and his hand once more glowed a poisonous green. "I will clear the way for your arrow." With that, he stepped a few feet from her and sprayed out a shower of neon-colored poison at the vines that had now gathered around their mother source, apparently reading their intentions. 

Kikyou stood, dumbfounded, for a few seconds, at her lover's skill, but she soon was reminded of her own task. As soon as the _Dokkasou_ had melted away the protecting meat shield, the Priestess shot the arrow and it plunged deeply into churning mass. 

Silence reigned for a moment, but a bright light shot out of the broken plant as it died, and vines went limp singly, then in large groups. Inuyasha gave a loud yelp that sounded almost like a bark as he fell headfirst down on the forest floor. Sesshoumaru, in the blink of an eye, swept Kikyou up in his one arm and his lips crashed down upon hers in a passionate kiss as the vines of Kikumo's making fell dead about them. 

...o0o... 

"What's that smell?" Inuyasha impatiently queried, wrinkling his nose in the process. Now that the vines were no longer troubling them, Sesshoumaru, Kikyou and Inuyasha had extracted themselves from the plants' debris and came hasting to their main camp. The sky was turning bluer with each moment, and heaven knows what had happened to their other companions. 

Kikyou felt as though her body was being overtaken by sudden fatigue. A sweet smell was beginning to assail her senses, and Sesshoumaru put a hand on her shoulder to keep her back. 

"Don't move any farther until I tell you to do so, and hold your breaths as long as you can," Sesshoumaru commanded as he approached the dying embers. For once, his younger brother obeyed his commands and stayed behind, obviously feeling the effects of the deadly drug. Fortunately for Sesshoumaru, he was immune to any poison, and thus Kikumo's plant did him no harm. 

Briefly, he scanned the surroundings, and his amber orbs narrowed to see signs of struggle and combat littered all over the place. The demon exterminator's hiraikotsu was lying abandoned close to the dying fire, and beside it lay the monk's staff, looking considerably battered. To his right, he saw cat demon that Sango had for a pet lying down on its side. Beneath a nearby tree were the two humans and that little fox youkai, all lying in a heap. 

Sesshoumaru checked them closely, and as he expected, they were all asleep. 

"Are they all right, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou called out to him from the distance, her voice slightly deadened by the sleeve she held over her nose to keep out the smell. 

The Demon Lord paced around the camping area one more time, searching for something. Finally, in the little section of the ground where the stench was the strongest, Sesshoumaru made out the tiny leaves of a blood red plant. Convinced that this was the culprit, he crushed the little plant under his heel. 

When the sweet odor had become but a faint tang to his nose, Sesshoumaru nodded in Kikyou's and Inuyasha's direction. It's safe for them to come closer. 

Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara also began to show signs of life. Their eyes blinked for a moment or two, and they began to stretch their benumbed bodies. They saw Inuyasha with his brother and the miko looking at them nearby, and they immediately knew through their cuts and bruises that they had gone through some kind of battle as they had. 

"What happened?" Sango, muttered, standing up rather shakily after she recovered her weapon where it lay discarded on the ground. 

Kikyou looked at Sesshoumaru for an explanation. Even she could not understand what Kikumo had done this time. 

The Demon Prince's eyes darted towards a reddish plant, crushed and trampled, nearby. "That plant grew in the Western Lands," he said rather coldly. "Its scent carries a poison that dulls the senses and sends the brain to sleep." 

"Kikumo does know how to make use of plants," Miroku grumbled, massaging his sore neck and fumbling for his staff as he got up. "And speaking of...where had Kagome gone? That Demoness was after the Shikon shards!" 

"Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed, his amber eyes widening as he recalled defending the modern girl earlier. "We have got to find her! She ran off into the forest with Sesshoumaru's little girl and his pet toad!" 

"Kikumo was after the shards...?" Kikyou said, and then she looked at Sesshoumaru, alarmed. "Rin and Jaken, Sesshoumaru! They must have gotten themselves into trouble as well!" 

...o0o... 

A familiar voice calling out her name softly made Kagome put up an effort against her slumber. Gradually, she opened her dark eyes and beheld many faces looking down at her with concerned expressions. Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippou... What had happened? Her head was still aching from Kikumo's blow, and she couldn't quite sit herself up. 

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called out once again, and she felt as though she was being choked in his tight hug. "What did that Demoness do to you?" 

"Inuyasha...you're strangling me!" Kagome blurted out, and amber eyes went wide for a second with shock before letting her go, embarrassment coming over his face. Sango, Miroku and Shippou tittered, and she felt her face becoming hot. To get over the discomfiture, the girl said, "Kikumo...she was trying to threat me into giving the shards to her, but I refused." 

"Well, thank goodness," Sango sighed in relief, but Kagome shook her head seriously. 

"I gave the shards to Rin thinking that Kikumo would least likely pursue her," Kagome explained, rubbing her temples to ease the throbbing in her head. "But saimyoushou found out about my move, and she knocked me unconscious before going after Rin." Her brown eyes widened as realization dawned her. "Rin! Oh, poor girl, Kikumo must have beaten her up to get the shards!" Kagome struggled to stand up, but dizziness overcame her and she fell back down again. 

"Easy, Kagome," Miroku warned as Inuyasha assisted Kagome into sitting up again, letting her rest her sore head on his shoulder. "Sesshoumaru and Kikyou are off to find Rin and Jaken, and knowing the sharp senses of those two, they are bound to find them soon." 

...o0o... 

"Wake up, Jaken, you know you're fine," Sesshoumaru said in a flat tone, giving the snoring figure of his retainer a light kick. His acute sense of smell had led himself and Kikyou first to where the toady demon lay in deep sleep, and Jaken's round eyes at once came into focus at the deep voice and kick that wakened him. 

"L-lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken exclaimed out of pure surprise, standing up at once and bowing low to the regal shadow that had gone across his short form. 

Kikyou, who stood beside Sesshoumaru, did not waste time. She questioned Jaken at once as to where Rin is. 

"Where is Rin?" the miko demanded more than asked. "Did you just sleep here, not minding whether she is in danger or not?" 

Jaken trembled at the sound of the Priestess' voice, and he looked up with shaking eyes at the two tall figures looming above him. Though Lord Sesshoumaru looked very calm and composed as he always was, the lesser demon noted that both his master and the miko bore numerous bruises and other scars of battle. 

"Oh no, I was not being idle!" Jaken stammered, clutching tightly to the Staff of Heads, thankful that he was not parted from that weapon of his. "That girl who is your reincarnation gave Rin the shards of the Shikon Jewel, thinking that Kikumo wouldn't bother us. But alas, Kikumo overtook us and she played this koto tune that put me into an instant sleep. I do not know where Rin is, Sesshoumaru-sama! It's either she ran away or Kikumo-" 

"I will make sure you are banished to hell if that Demoness managed to abduct Rin once more, especially when she is under your care," Kikyou cut Jaken off, her eyes flashing with anger and her nails digging into her palms. Sesshoumaru, however, prevented further harm from befalling his retainer by gently taking one of Kikyou's fisted hands and rubbing its back with his thumb. 

"Let's not waste our words in threats," Sesshoumaru said as Kikyou calmed down once more, and affectionately returned his hold on her hand. "Rin's scent is still around this place. We can still find her." 

Soon enough, after a few more moments of searching behind the trees, Kikyou spotted a small figure lying on her stomach between two leafless maples. She immediately recognized the kimono and the hair held up in a ponytail. 

"Rin!" Kikyou let go of her grasp on Sesshoumaru's hand and rushed to the little girl's side, kneeling low as to observe her. The healer in her could not see any serious damage done to the child's body, but she still held her breath as she gently took Rin in her arms and ran her one of her hands soothingly over the child's forehead. 

"Kikyou?" Sesshoumaru had knelt opposite his beloved, and he shared her concern, parental as it was, over Rin. Though Kikyou would come first to the Demon Prince before everyone, or everything, else, he loved Rin enough to protect her no less. 

"She was probably knocked unconscious," Kikyou replied, answering his unasked question. Her mahogany pools met with his amber orbs as she added, "But above all else, she seems just fine." 

She had barely been able to finish her sentence when a roaring, much like that of a wind of hurricane speeds approaching, came to their ears. Sesshoumaru instinctively threw himself over Rin and Kikyou as an extremely powerful wave of demon energy rushed across them. Kikyou clung on to her beloved to prevent herself and Rin from being swept away along with the strong gusts, and about them, trees were torn from their roots and the lands shook as sand invaded what was once a thriving forest. 

They all endured this gripping cataclysm for slow agonizing minutes, and when the evil wind died down at last, all that they could see was a barren desert land that stretched as far as the eye could see. 

...o0o... 

"Have you brought the shards to me?" Naraku asked of the Demoness who stood before his door, a malicious yet expectant grin on his lips. 

"As agreed," Kikumo said dully and without interest, as she extracted the bottle from within her robes and threw it to the half-demon from afar. 

Naraku only had to open his palm, and the last of the Shikon shards lay at last in his grasp. His other hand reached inside his kimono, and took out the large chunk of the Jewel that he had in his keeping. For a long time, he simply stared at the pieces of the Jewel of the Four Souls as they resided in his hands, but when he finally moved, he clapped his hands together, a truly wicked laugh leaving his throat as he did so. 

A bright flash came from the hanyou's palm that made even Kikumo's superb eyesight flinch at the intensity. The Demoness drew back slightly and held out the Hiroko Kama before her to shield herself from the powerful waves of youki racking the fortress. But when the light and wind finally stilled, she beheld the completed Shikon no Tama, the small smooth glasslike ball still emanating demon energy in the form of little lightning bolts as it nestled in the hands of its new evil master. 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru loosed his hold around Kikyou and Rin as the little girl regained her consciousness, coughing as several grains of sand got into her throat. The Priestess gently stroked Rin's back until she finally got most of the sand out of her mouth. When she raised her eyes to survey the landscape, it did not fail to shock her. All around them, not a single speck of green remained as grey sand buried the forest about them. The sky was no less in gloom, as steely grey clouds rose from the horizon and covered the sky and the rising sun with a sheet of grey until no blue remained. 

"What happened?" Kikyou asked of Sesshoumaru, who stood up from the sand and narrowed his eyes to search for a possible clue as to this mysterious catastrophe. He felt a powerful demon aura coming from a very large rock formation in the distance, an area of the desert that was covered in sharp crags and rises as jagged as a set of dragon's teeth. 

"Naraku is not that powerful to have done this alone," he whispered, "nor Kikumo..." 

"The shards, Kikyou-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin's anxious little voice made them focus their attentions solely on the little girl, who was looking up at them with a frightened expression in her tear-ringed eyes. "The jewel shards Kagome-sama gave to Rin to keep safe...someone whacked Rin on the back and got the shards! Rin is sorry; Rin failed to keep the shards safe..." 

"Hush, Rin," Kikyou soothed her, embracing the little girl who had begun to sob. "It is not your fault. I can hardly believe that Kikumo will go as far as to hurt you physically to get what she wanted. No jewel shard is worth losing you, Rin..." 

At that moment, Jaken, who was lay buried under a few inches of sand, finally dug himself out of the rubble and was coughing sand out just like Rin did. Just then, a single cry of relief came up from a few feet near them, as Inuyasha with the rest of his group finally found them after the sands also overtook them. Inuyasha and Kagome walked in a faster pace and were ahead of a calmer Miroku, Sango, Shippou and a little Kirara who had returned to his little form. 

"Is everyone all right?" Kagome said, walking rather unsteadily as she was still recovering from the head blow she got from Kikumo. 

Hearing Kagome's voice, Rin politely eased herself from Kikyou's embrace and ran towards the figure of the reincarnated miko. When she was standing directly before Kagome, Rin bowed low in a gesture of apology, saying, "Forgive Rin, Kagome-sama, for she failed to protect the shards when you told her to do so." 

"It's all right, Rin," Kagome whispered, gently raising the girl from her bowed position and looking at her with gentle eyes. "We shall get the shards back." 

"There is no use getting the shards back now," Kikyou's voice echoed from across the dune. The Priestess had stood up from the sands and was looking at them with eyes as piercing as Sesshoumaru's. "Naraku had completed the Jewel, and it was the Tama that put forth its power and caused this desert to flood the land." 

"Have we failed, then?" a crestfallen Sango asked. Rin had pulled Jaken towards Miroku and the rest, and lay in wait for what plans their leaders had for them. 

"Hell, no!" Inuyasha's sharp, determined snap came. "As long as Naraku still breathes, our battle is on! He may complete the jewel, but we shall fight him!" 

"Hence, we shall not stand long against him if we are fragmented," Kikyou spoke up. "We have to join our forces if we are to defeat Naraku and the Shikon Jewel." 

At this, silence came over the two dog brothers. Them being together in one night was enough; what more to form an allegiance with one another? 

Kagome tapped Inuyasha's shoulder while muttering, "Come on, Inuyasha, you know Kikyou's right." 

"Hmph, I will kill Naraku all by myself! Not with the help of my brother!" Inuyasha retorted immediately. 

"You think you can kill Naraku?" Sesshoumaru said in a tone that was too even to be considered a snap. "Kikyou remains to be that maggot's only anathema; only she can banish him to hell." 

"His anathema, I was, but no longer," Kikyou said with a sigh. "The Shikon jewel had thoroughly clouded Onigumo's heart by now, and he will not hesitate to kill me this time." But her mahogany eyes hardened in determination as she tightened her hold on her bow. "But his own end shall come soon." 

"Well, Kikyou-sama, we do are agreeable with allying ourselves to you," Miroku spoke up. 

"Yes, yes!" a very eager form of Shippou was jumping up and down at Sango's heels. 

"But it is out of the question if Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are eager to cooperate," Sango added. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama will never join his power with his that of lowly half-brother!" Jaken immediately said with a snort. All that it earned him, however, were numerous punches and hits as Miroku, Sango and Shippou joined hands in clubbing him. 

Kikyou looked expectantly at Sesshoumaru. A wind had begun to pass over them, sending the smoky sand to make more patterns in the dunes. Her lover was in deep thought, apparently pondering about what he should do. 

"Will you do this for me, Sesshoumaru?" she whispered. His blinked for a second or two before his amber oculars met with Kikyou's mahogany. 

"Whatever path you choose, I will follow," the Demon Lord replied, smiling slightly as she nodded her agreement. Their eyes then roamed to Kagome and Inuyasha. The girl was putting forth her powers of persuasion to try to convince Inuyasha to follow Kikyou's suggestion. 

"Please, Inuyasha, you only have to do this now!" 

"No!" 

"Come on, you know that in forming this unified alliance can we really defeat our enemy!" 

_"No!"_

After a few more tries, Kagome's patience finally gave way. She spoke to the half-demon with such a furious tone that even he had to recoil back at her anger. 

_"Listen, you puppy!_ We are here out in this desert arguing while Naraku is already fooling away with the Shikon Jewel! You shall agree to work with your brother or else I will sit you in this very place, at this very time, until the end of the world!" So forbidding, Kagome looked as she loomed over him, that Inuyasha could only nod out his answer. 

With a sigh at their younger counterparts' immaturity, Kikyou said, "Then I guess that settles it. I can feel Naraku's presence and the power of the Jewel nearby." 

"They're in that region of the desert," Sesshoumaru calmly replied, looking at the rock formation mentioned earlier. 

"Are we to march there at this very moment?" Sango said, worriedly. "Kikumo had done a marvelous job in wearying us. Should we not rest for a while?" 

"Every moment we delay in our undoing," Miroku said. "We should get Naraku while we can." 

"What's our battle plan this time?" Shippou queried. 

Silence. Kikyou appeared to be thinking for a moment, and she seemed to take on the role of an over-all commander as she counseled them on what to do. 

"Naraku's defeat lies in his banishment to hell, and of the Jewel's purification," she explained. "I would have to face him, for that reason. But for some reason, I doubt if I will be able to hold him out on my own. Kagome, you are my reincarnation; you also have my powers. Do you agree that we should join our powers to finally send Naraku to hell?" 

"I shall help you," Kagome nodded, ready to take on the challenge. 

Kikyou nodded in return, and she continued, "We must not forget Kikumo. She is powerful in her own way, for I have fought with her myself. Sesshoumaru, however, is more powerful than she is. Inuyasha, you shall go with your brother and take care of the Demoness to keep her from aiding Naraku while Kagome and I face Naraku." 

Inuyasha gave a disappointed scowl. "I don't want to fight with _him!_" 

"It wouldn't make a difference if you're with me or not," Sesshoumaru said in a cold tone. "The battle shall end in my side." 

The other members of the company sighed. Can't those two get along for at least a moment? 

"Well, if you are not compliant on that approach," Kikyou answered, "then why don't we alter it a little bit? Kagome, perhaps you can go and assist Sesshoumaru-" 

"I will die before I let Kagome near _him!"_ Inuyasha retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"You know that I will not allow Inuyasha to be with you, Kikyou," Sesshoumaru said softly, placing his arm around Kikyou's shoulder, as though expecting his half-brother to come and snatch the Priestess from him at that very moment. 

"Then what do you want, Inuyasha?" Kikyou said with a little more force this time. "I cannot leave Naraku to anyone else, but Sesshoumaru can't go with me because only he is really capable of defeating Kikumo. Nor can Kagome face Naraku or Kikumo alone, even if you are with her. And, neither would you or Sesshoumaru allow Kagome to go with him and me with you. Face it, Inuyasha. It's you with your brother and me with Kagome or nothing else." 

After a moment of silence and pondering, Inuyasha finally gave a nod, though his face was still scowling in utter dissatisfaction. However, thanks to Kagome who gave him a delighted hug, the half-demon's eyes brightened up at least a bit. 

Sighing in relief to see their little problem fixed, Kikyou reached out and lovingly squeezed Sesshoumaru's hand on her shoulder. She then turned her gaze on Miroku and Sango. 

"The Shikon no Tama will further attract many demons to this area," she said. "We need your help to keep them at bay and so as not to give us hindrance while we fight with our respective enemies." 

"We're on it!" Sango and Miroku said as one. 

"Well, we expect Jaken and Shippou to also help. They are to tackle the lesser demons and as well protect Rin from any assault." The two smallest demons regarded each other for a second before turning away with disgust on their faces. Well, they should not be as stubborn as Inuyasha or else... 

"Kirara will be of perfect help to her," Sango remarked. 

Kikyou smiled, satisfied at their compliance. The expression on her face turned serious as she faced the rock formation Sesshoumaru had pointed out. Dark clouds were beginning to gather over that section of the desert, with occasional bursts of lightning and distant thunder. 

"We shall finally be victorious over that coward," Sesshoumaru said for her ears only, taking one of her hands and holding on to it tightly. 

"Indeed, we shall," Kikyou replied, and she added to herself secretly, 'And we can finally be together for eternity, my Sesshoumaru.' 

...o0o... 

Okay, the final battle's near! Woo-hoo! It's kinda sad that I will have to let go of this fic of mine soon, but I shall make it good, promise! ;) 


	21. Aut Vincere aut Mori

**Chapter Twenty: Aut Vincere aut Mori - Conquer or Die **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** If my estimates are correct, this chapter will be the third to the last, so sit back and enjoy as long as the suspense lasts! ;) Also, thank you very much for all those people: Sweet Ruby Moon, Eruanne, Isys and all my constructive reviewers...who helped me get over a flame-induced writer's block! 

...o0o... 

Kagome and Kikyou paced over the portion of the sands that had once been their camp. Before they began their march towards Naraku and Kikumo's new domain, the Priestess had inquired her reincarnation if she had any arrows to spare. There was only a single arrow left in Kikyou's quiver after fighting the tangled vines earlier. Kagome had replied that her quiver was still full, but it now lay buried under the sand beside the embers of their main camp. 

Not to give up easily, Kikyou led Kagome to retrace their steps. Miroku and Sango were very amazed at the miko's will, as the desert sands had altered the landscape extremely, and no marker that stated a forest was once there was visible. 

"I guess this is the place, then?" Kikyou said, her hair once more pulled back into a loose ponytail. A soft wind had begun to blow, and the humans blinked in irritation at the sand that threatened to come into their eyes. 

"Are you sure about this, Kikyou?" Inuyasha's impatient wont said. The hanyou was kicking at random portions of sand, as though by doing so he would lessen his agitation. "The arrows could be buried under several feet of sand now!" 

"Let her do as she wishes," Sesshoumaru had replied. The Demon Lord stood upon the tall crest of a dune, amber eyes looking out intently at the rock formation ahead. He frowned at the powerful evil aura that he felt. "Kikyou has more wisdom than you can ever have, Inuyasha." 

"Well, _brother_, if you _do_ have sense, you would help Kikyou dig out her arrows!" his brother retorted, sharply turning around to look at the solitary figure of his older sibling who did not even turn to look at him. Sesshoumaru let the wind run through his platinum hair and his soft furry pelt, making it look as though a cloud streamed from behind him. The Demon Prince was avoiding his younger sibling as much as he can. At Kikyou's request, he had agreed to fight alongside Inuyasha, and the sooner they get rid of Kikumo, the better. As though Inuyasha stands a chance against that Demoness, however... 

"For heaven's sake, Inuyasha," Kagome muttered. The girl had begun to dig at a spot on the sands, hoping against hope that she will come across her weapons. "Just keep quiet and save your strength. You are a lot more wearied than any of us." 

"Weary, huh?" Inuyasha snapped back. Who was Kagome calling weary? "I am not worn out!" He gave a little pile of sand a strong kick, sending the grey particles raining down on him. 

Miroku, Sango and Shippou, who were scattered around the place digging holes in search of Kagome's arrows and bow, released bouts of laughter to see Inuyasha with grey splotches of sand on the hair. Making an effort to hide his embarrassment, the half-demon turned away from them and crossed his arms over his chest, sticking out his mouth in a pout. 

'Will you ever grow up, Inuyasha?' Kikyou thought silently as she stooped down on the sandy ground and gently ran her hand over the sands, still cold from the night's chill. A tall shadow that moved over her form made Kikyou look up, and her mahogany eyes widened slightly to see her lover looking down on her, making her feel defenseless. He was so stealthy in descending the dune and approaching his beloved that none of the company had noticed he had moved until now. 

But that feeling of vulnerability soon vanished when Sesshoumaru knelt down on one of his knees and his amber orbs met Kikyou's beautiful eyes briefly before his hand touched the sands as well. 

"Am I to abandon you to do this alone, Kikyou?" he whispered for only her to hear. 

Kikyou felt herself blushing as she stammered, "You really don't have to, Sesshoumaru..." He, however, shook his head to tell her that his mind had been set in doing so, and he wordlessly began to hollow out the sand with his only hand. 

Kikyou chose to overlook the dreamy sighs being directed at them from their other companions as she also dug into the grey sand. Sesshoumaru carrying her on his back a few hours earlier was an act of humility in itself, and what more for a Demon Lord? Kikyou felt fortunate indeed, fortunate to have earned his love. A quiet smile remained on her face as she worked on. 

"Hey, Inuyasha, why don't you go and help Kagome?" Shippou, who was excavating near Inuyasha's feet, muttered out of the corner of his mouth. 

Inuyasha seemed startled, and spared a hard look at the small demon before he noticed that his normally aloof brother was alongside Kikyou, helping her dig out a hole in the sand. The hanyou then caught sight of Kagome, working in silence and alone. After a few awkward shrugs, Inuyasha finally made his way beside his love and began to help her, mumbling curses under his breath to hear Miroku, Sango and Shippou giggle at his action. 

Rin, who stood in the shadow of a large sand dune with Jaken beside her, noticed that they were the only ones not doing anything. She implored of her little companion, "Come on, Jaken-sama! Let us also help! Even Sesshoumaru-sama is digging!" 

Jaken's eyes widened to see their Lord and master putting aside his pride for the sake of a human Priestess, but he was still considerably reluctant even as Rin pulled him along. 

Out of a sudden, the little girl let out a single cry of pain as she tripped on some protruding thing on the sand. Kikyou, whose ears were ever as sharp as a mother's, was beside Rin in an instant. 

"Are you all right, Rin?" she said as she helped Rin raise herself and brush away the sand that clung on to her kimono. 

"Rin is all right, Kikyou-sama!" Rin replied cheerfully, and turned to look at the thing she tripped upon. Her chocolate brown eyes widened in recognition. That wooden piece was no other than the tip of a bow. "Kagome-sama's bow!" 

"Rin found the bow?" Kagome stood up and also went beside Rin. True enough, she made out the form of her bow sticking out of the sand. At once, she, Rin and Kikyou busied themselves into digging it out. Their comrades left their individual digs and clustered around the trio of females. 

Soon, Kagome's bow was lifted out of the sands, and Kikyou felt the feathers of several arrows on the soft sand just below them. Once a complete quiver with all its arrows intact emerged from its hiding place, the two Priestesses divided it as such that both of them have an equal amount of arrows. 

"We are fortunate that the sand didn't bury those too deeply," Miroku remarked. 

"We are to keep going, then?" Sango asked as Kikyou and Kagome stood up, armed in nearly identical weapons. She and Miroku moved aside as the older miko stepped forward, her mahogany eyes directed on the jagged rocks up ahead. A large bolt of lightning jumped down from the dark clouds hovering above the rocks and hit the desert sand with a deafening crash of thunder. In the blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru was beside her, his clawed hand already on the hilt of the Toukijin 

A soft breeze ruffled through their hair, and they all moved onwards with Kikyou and Sesshoumaru in their lead; even the normally gruff Inuyasha seemed to be in deep thought as they marched towards the rocks in silence. In her place beside her beloved Sesshoumaru, Kikyou looked no less majestic, knowing that she was one of the remaining hopes of the human race against the evil of Naraku, and an embodiment of the lands' struggle against a long-standing evil. 

...o0o... 

Kikumo's deer ears twitched. She sat on a narrow outcrop of grey rock, almost looking like a stone herself, overlooking the dune sea below. Much as the Deer _youkai_ in her despaired the loss of the forest, she could not let Naraku know her emotions. He will use them against her. 

Her sharp sense of hearing caught the sound of their voices in the wind, and every time Sesshoumaru's wont reached her ears, she clutched on tighter to the Tenseiga. He will fight her to get his sword back, she knew, and she doubted if she will be able to fight him back. The blow he gave her from the Toukijin assured her that. 

Just as she caught the clear shapes of their challengers approaching their stone haven, Naraku came out from between two narrow rocks. Kikumo's deep green eyes narrowed to see him. Naraku's face was still the same, with the long wavy raven tresses and dark eyes that carry a malicious glint it them, but he was garbed in all his finery. Clad in fighting robes of dark blue and purple overset with a dark metallic armor that shone even in the dull sky, he looked intimidating indeed. But not to the Demoness. 

"I assume you've become a full demon, then?" she asked almost in a bored tone, masking her face with an expression of impassivity and distaste. She returned the Tenseiga, which she was actually hugging close to her earlier, back to her waist and her hands once more returned to the naginata, no other than her legendary Hiroko Kama, which lay propped between two stones. 

"I have always been living as a full demon," Naraku smirked smugly at the emotionless face of the female youkai. In his hand glowed the shimmering glassy surface of the Shikon no Tama, still radiating in the evil influence of its holder. "The Tama is but a means to rid myself of the heart of Onigumo as well as to make myself more powerful. Now I can destroy the Priestess without hindrance! You also shall attain that revenge you wish upon Sesshoumaru!" His hand formed a fist over the Jewel as he laughed out his evil satisfaction. 

'Not Sesshoumaru-sama this time, eh, Naraku?' Kikumo thought to herself. What a bighead. She had observed that Naraku actually respects Sesshoumaru in some way because of his nearly perfect youkai powers, but now that the Jewel lay complete in his hands, he had the nerve to think that he could surpass the Demon Lord in prowess and (though he did not voice it out to Kikumo) easily defeat her, the Flower of the Deer Clan. 

Amidst all this, Kikumo did not lose her inexpressive features, and her voice sounded ever so uninterested as she said, "Kikyou, Sesshoumaru and as well as Inuyasha with the rest of his group are coming this way, Naraku. What are you to do with them?" 

"Well, I suppose we ought to welcome them with open arms, shall we?" Naraku replied, the impish grin on his face further widening as he made a mock greeting gesture with his arms. "They wish to see us, my dear? We shall grant them all the audience they wish!" With that, he turned with a swish of his dark purple mantle and descended the rocks in a single fluid bound. 

Kikumo, however, was still unimpressed by this show of confidence by Naraku. In silence, she drew the Hiroko Kama from the rocks and leaped down the outcrop with even more grace than the evil hanyou. Touching down with the ease of a shadow on the rough crag below, she snaked in between tall pedestals of rocks and followed Naraku to meet their enemy. 

'You may call yourself a _youkai_, Naraku,' Kikumo thought, her grip on her naginata tightening. 'But you were once Onigumo, that wretched thief...and no amount of power or the lowly magic of that Shikon Jewel, for that example, can change that...' 

...o0o... 

Rin let out a high-pitched scream as a demon that had on a distorted shape of a black eagle came swooping down on them. Sango, however, showed the others the demon exterminator that she was, and shot out her _hiraikotsu_ at the demon. The eagle youkai let out a fearful shriek as its head was severed from its body upon contact with the Flying Bone, and it fell down lifelessly, the body dropping down a few seconds before the head, many feet away from them. 

"That was one," she said with satisfaction, catching the _hiraikotsu_ as it flew back to her. 

Miroku shook his head at this show of ability, but he was secretly proud of the demon exterminator, whom he loved above the others. It was not hard to see that Sango also loved him in return, but the awkwardness provoked by their youth and as well as the evil of their times prevented them from openly admitting this. 

"Just give me my chance, and I can defeat more demons!" the monk said half-jokingly, eliciting laughter from many others as he said so. 

At the very front, Kikyou and Sesshoumaru did not share the lightheartedness that went over the other members of their alliance because of this action of Sango. What Kikyou had said about the Jewel attracting hordes of _youkai_ to the place was only beginning. 

"There will be more of that later," Kikyou whispered. 

"And more powerful ones, if they wish to know," Sesshoumaru agreed. His amber eyes scanned the tall rock wall rising before them. The evil youki grew stronger by the instant, and soon the lesser demons and the humans, with the exception perhaps of Kikyou and her reincarnation, will start to feel its effects and will weaken under its malevolent influence. 

Kikyou, herself, realized this. She spoke to the others who are supposed to stay behind and said, "This is where our paths divide. Soon the evil energy will be too strong for you. It is time for us to go." 

Miroku and Sango, posing as the leaders of the lesser portion of their alliance, nodded to acknowledge the situation. 

"May victory be on our side," they said, and with a nod, Kikyou gestured towards Inuyasha and Kagome that they should not waste any more time. When they came directly at the foot of the stern-looking grey expanse of rock, smoothed almost to the point of glassiness, the Priestess turned to Sesshoumaru with a half embarrassed, half loving look in her brown eyes. 

"Are you willing to take me again?" she asked her lover, who smiled knowingly upon getting her message. 

"What do you mean?" Kagome mouthed out, not understanding the language between the Demon Lord and the greater Priestess. She gave a soft gasp as the air about them gave a little whooshing sound. Sesshoumaru had wrapped his arm around Kikyou's waist and leaped up the smooth rock. In a flash, Kagome and Inuyasha were looking up at the figures of Sesshoumaru and Kikyou situated many meters above them. 

"He's making a show of himself, huh?" Inuyasha grunted, and without a warning, he lifted up Kagome bridal style and bounded up the rock formation as his brother had done, whilst whispering to the modern girl, "That Nefertili: referring to the way he carried her is one thing my brother cannot do." 

They barely had time to catch up with the figures of their two other allies as they went inside a narrow opening in the crag. Soon, this contracted alley gave way to a large, flat expanse of rectangular rock that was surrounded on three sides by towering rock pinnacles with sharp edges. Only one side was unobscured by rock formations, but it ended in a deep cliff whose very bottom was lost in the darkness. 

Once Sesshoumaru's feet made contact with this new ground, he said, "Naraku has set up a barrier." 

Inuyasha heard this statement of his older sibling, and he drew his Tessaiga from its sheath as he said, "Barriers shall crumble before the Tessaiga. Stand back, for I will take care of Naraku's little handiwork." 

"There's no need for that," a familiar hissing voice echoed before them. For that moment, all eyes were fixed on the heavily armored male figure. They all felt the invisible energy shield Naraku cast upon himself disappear as the dark mist around them thickened. There was no mistaking the small round, glowing object residing in Naraku's hand. It was no other than the completed Shikon Jewel. "I see you wish for a little chat. Well, come here and let us begin." 

"It has been long, Naraku," Kikyou said softly, moving ahead of Sesshoumaru's noble figure to face Naraku for a final battle. Kagome walked close behind, and followed Kikyou's suit when she drew an arrow from her quiver and assumed an archer's combat position. 

"Well, Kikyou, do you think you stand a chance against me?" Naraku sneered, closing his hand over the Jewel of the Four Souls and letting its radiance illuminate his face of malice. "Sweet it feels, to not be held back by a heart. Nothing can stop me from killing you now, or that reincarnation of yours." 

In a flash, a sharp tentacle from the evil one's hand shot out at the two women. Kikyou and Kagome ducked just in time, and the younger of the two shot her first arrow at the tentacle, obliterating it in an instant. The jewel in Naraku's hand gave a bright spurt of light, and the flesh regenerated, reforming the whip like structure that wrapped itself around Kagome's neck. 

"Let her go, Naraku!" Inuyasha bellowed, and the Tessaiga's took on its fang form in an instant. He was blocked, however, by another blade that was wielded by a female willowy figure. 

"You have other business here, _hanyou_," Kikumo whispered as she put herself between the siblings and the conflict between the Priestesses and Naraku. Sesshoumaru felt his insides seething to see the Tenseiga, his father's relic, on her waist, and at once the Toukijin was drawn, starting a new clashing of powers in the craggy heights. 

...o0o... 

"Hide behind those rocks, Rin!" Miroku hastily ordered the little girl as mass upon mass of _youkai_ began to close in on them. Demons great and small, their features twisted into contorted knots, many of them mutations of insects and other animals, gathered upon the rocky formation, drawn by the power of the Shikon jewel. 

Rin obediently jumped behind the large boulders sticking out of the sand. Jaken, faithful to the commands of Sesshoumaru that he should protect the little girl, stood on top of the boulders with the Staff of Heads held up valiantly. Shippou, his courage diminishing every second, had taken on his pink bubble form, and though it had no defensive purposes, he succeeded in luring away several youkai from where Rin was hiding. 

"In for a challenge, Miroku?" Sango asked of her counterpart, who stood ready beside her. 

"Anytime with you, my woman," Miroku said, smiling. At once, numerous demons were split apart as the Flying Bone cut through their bodies, and even more were driven to the Other Side by the holy spell of the monk's staff. And the heated battle between evil and good burst into a fiery inferno as numerous forces collided, shaping what would be the future of the land. For that moment, only one principle ruled. 

Either conquer the enemy or die. 

...o0o... 

"Do you wish for the Tenseiga, Sesshoumaru?" Kikumo said softly. Fiery sparks escaped as the metal of the Hiroko Kama collided with the Toukijin. In a swift motion, she held up the handle of her weapon to shield her back as Inuyasha's Tessaiga came into contact with the ebony handle of the naginata. The duel of the inu brothers against the daughter of the Deer _youkai_ had led them to higher ground, Kikumo lithely dodging and blocking their combined attacks. 

"It is not in my nature to beg for anything," Sesshoumaru replied coldly, his amber eyes flashing. They were presently on a narrow ledge hugging the majestic pinnacles of rock, and directly below them were Kikyou and Kagome, who themselves were engaged in a constant battle against Naraku. 

"You are a great _youkai_, Sesshoumaru," Kikumo continued, this time, sadness lacing her tone. "It's a pity your heart had to be given to a human Priestess whose powers could never measure up to our kin's competence." 

Sesshoumaru did not fail to notice the miserable edge on her voice. "Leave Kikyou out of this," he said in an unfriendly tone. 

The Demon Prince then slashed at the air with his sword, and though he did not cut her directly, the force of the Toukijin made the rock under Kikumo collapse. She screamed as the rock gave way under her, and she fell down in a heap at the foot of the pinnacle. Inuyasha, who was about to fire a Kaze no Kizu at the Demoness, came down with her as Sesshoumaru's attack also weakened the portion of the ledge he was standing on. 

"Hey, you didn't have to include me there!" he admonished his older brother, who, in an aristocratic manner, leaped down the rock in a renewed combat stance with their challenger. 

"This is my fight, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru replied calmly, walking in slow grace towards Kikumo, who struggled to extract herself from the rocky debris. "Go and keep on sleeping." 

Inuyasha gave a low growl and dashed towards their enemy with his Tessaiga raised. He reached her first before Sesshoumaru, but Kikumo, though heavily bruised from the fall, was alert enough to grab a few chrysanthemum petals from the box on her sash and throw it towards the half-demon. 

In a few seconds, Inuyasha was pinned to the rock face by his wrists. His sword, which was knocked off his hand by another of the chrysanthemum blades, fell with a clang a few feet from him. 

Kikumo barely had time to recover herself when Sesshoumaru's blade came crashing down on her. Though she blocked him just in time with her Hiroko Kama, the force he exerted upon his renewed attack was so great that she found herself being pushed down. Kikumo also noted the extreme anger she now saw on his normally expressionless amber eyes, and she could not help but recall the time back in the Western Lands when he gave her an equally forbidding glare. 

"So, you care for your brother after all?" she said with a twisted smile, holding up her weapon with both hands. 

"I, Sesshoumaru, care for my lowly half-brother?" he replied with a sarcastic laugh. His eyes then took on the shade of red as a sudden burst of energy left his hand, sending Kikumo forcefully backwards. A pained hiss left her lips as her hair was pulled from its loose plait by the blast. "You just made me remember one instance when you executed that very same attack upon Kikyou, and strange it is, to feel my very powers awakening by that mere memory." 

Kikumo's eyes widened with fear as Sesshoumaru sent another wave of Toukijin's energy at her. The Demon Lord was looking down on her with such a cold glare, and she knew exactly what lay seething beneath that seemingly composed facade. He was enraged at her for nearly killing his beloved, and it was his anger that enabled him to fight her without letting guilt overcome him. 

A pained cry left her lips as the wave cut her clean on the shoulder, for she failed to block the attack in her own misery of having to fight the one she loved, in her misery that he was using her own hate against her. Kikumo crumpled in pain on the ground, and one can easily see the tears now rushing freely from her deep green eyes as she entangled her fingers in her long fawn tresses, a wretched soul caught in a whirlwind of emotions that left her voiceless and vulnerable. 

Sesshoumaru stood there motionless, the sharp tip of the Toukijin just touching the tear-streaked cheek of the Demoness. He felt as though his anger was beginning to melt away at the sight of her tears. Kikyou had taught him compassion along with love, and amidst all the hate he felt for Kikumo after she betrayed him and her attempt on Kikyou's life, something inside him held him back. In those frightened green eyes, he saw echoes of the gentle Kikumo, the benevolent Kikumo-hime of the Deer Clan who loved him more than anything else. 

And he soon realized...it was this love that she still carried inside her heart. It was this single emotion that prevented her from putting forth her powers in fighting him. She could do so much more, they both knew, but for love of Lord Sesshoumaru, Kikumo bound herself and her powers in a chain of restraint. 

...o0o... 

"Kagome!" Kikyou cried. Naraku had mercilessly thrown her reincarnation among some rocks with his tentacles. Kagome, already weakened by their enemy's repeated blows, blacked out in a single instant. 

"And what shall I do with you, my lovely Kikyou?" Naraku mocked, slowly turning to face the more powerful Priestess, her bow drawn taut with her arrow aimed at him. He, however, gave Kikyou no chance to reply as the Shikon jewel began to glow a dangerous purple. She gasped as numerous souls were summoned out of her clay body with the mere gesture. She fell to the ground, struggling to keep on her feet. 

Naraku grinned in malicious satisfaction. "Amazing, isn't it, how I can channel this Jewel's powers? Sweet it is, to see you crawling on the ground like the helpless worm that you are." 

"Na...ra...ku..." Kikyou's hands clenched with the little energy she had left, her mahogany eyes burning with hurt and anger as she frowned at the evil he was doing. 

Naraku's evil grin widened. "Don't worry, my dear. The time has come to end your suffering." He shot out one of his finger-whips at the weakened miko, and a single cry of pain left her lips as the whip sent her flying up in the air, and she knew just what Naraku was trying to do. He intends to cast her over the cliff, and her exhausted mind struggled to think of a way to escape this new ordeal, but her body was powerless to the point of immobility. She must not fail...not now... Sesshoumaru... 

Sesshoumaru. Images of her beloved went across her mind. Fleeting images of the night when he rescued her from the Red Shinidamachuu, of their meeting on the field of wildflowers, of the night of Kikumo's betrayal, of the many pains she went through to earn his love, of the many nights they were together... Her visions were concluded by the dear memory of the sunrise, how their lips first met and they sealed their love... 

'I am sorry, my Sesshoumaru,' she thought, closing her eyes to hold back tears that threatened to spill. 'I wish I was powerful enough to not fail you, _darling...'_

Her thoughts were interrupted as a strong hand reached out to her and pulled her against a strong chest. Kikyou looked up with weary eyes, and amber eyes met her mahogany orbs in a tenderness that only he could give. 

...o0o... 

"Kikyou!" Sesshoumaru abandoned his fight with Kikumo at once to hear his beloved's cry. He turned just in time to see Naraku casting Kikyou's fragile body out into the dark chasm below. Returning the Toukijin to his belt, Sesshoumaru ran in his fastest to catch her before she could disappear down the cliff. 

He managed to grab her hand first, and it was all that it took to pull her into his one-armed embrace, but Naraku was not to be defeated too soon. His dark eyes narrowing in irritation, their enemy once more lashed out with his flesh whip in their direction. The whip hit Sesshoumaru on his waist, and sent him off-balance. Before anyone knew it, they were falling over the cliff. 

"Hold on to me!" Sesshoumaru hastily whispered to his beloved, who immediately flung her arms around his neck and clung on to him with the little strength she had left. Sesshoumaru's only hand then let go of his grasp on her and reached out to grab the sharp edge of the cliff. The stone was sharp even for a youkai, and he flinched as the jagged rock edges cut its way into his palm. 

Kikyou felt her lover breathing heavily as he struggled to keep themselves from falling into the black darkness below. Her clay body was giving him ponderous weight, and she knew that Sesshoumaru will not be able to hold on for very long, especially with only one arm to spare. 

"Sesshoumaru!" she gasped her fingers becoming entangled in his platinum hair as she sought to keep her hold on him. 

"Only a little more!" he said through gritted teeth. His demon strength was beginning to fail him, and trickles of his own blood began to run down his wrist as his claws clung on with all their strength to the rock. In the little time given them, he gathered what little physical power he had in his body to hoist themselves up. 

A pained snarl suddenly escaped his lips, and Kikyou looked up in concern to see what caused him so much pain. Concern gave way to alarm to see Naraku's foot forcefully stepping on Sesshoumaru's fingers. A few drops of blood from his wounded fingers had fallen on Kikyou's white blouse, and in her heart, she received twice the physical pain he was feeling. 

"I should have known that you would give your life for Kikyou, Sesshoumaru," Naraku muttered with a smirk, further pressing down his foot on his clawed fingers that desperately held on to the rock for dear life. "And I would grant you two a favor by sending you to Hell together." 

'Hell...' Kikyou thought, and harsh recollections about the times she spent in that dimension after her death returned to her. She glanced at Sesshoumaru's face before looking away almost instantly. She could not stand to see that face, her beloved, in so much pain...and no amount of physical suffering could equal the hurt a tormented soul feels in Hell. 'Sesshoumaru...I love you, I will not let you die...even if it means my own death...' 

"I have always...loved you, Sesshoumaru," she whispered, kissing his neck with all the tenderness she could give. The Demon Lord's amber eyes widened to feel her grip around his neck loosening. No, what could she be thinking...? 

"Kikyou!" was all he could say in his pain. Above them, Naraku laughed out his malice, the Shikon jewel glinting in his hand. Sesshoumaru flinched once more to feel the pressure on his fingers increase, and a few more drops of his crimson blood fell on his beloved. Her grip was becoming more detached with each second, and he finally realized what she was doing: Kikyou was going to sacrifice herself for him to be able to save himself. 

_"Don't do this to me, Kikyou!"_

...o0o... 

Kagome managed to regain her consciousness, and when her ragged vision saw Naraku standing on the edge of the cliff, she made a wild dash to recover her bow where it lay discarded on the ground. She, however, was flung to where Inuyasha was pinned to the rock face, in a hopeless struggle to free himself from the curved blades on his wrist. Kagome raised her head weakly from the blow, and she saw that a red barrier was wound around her, Inuyasha and the untransformed Tessaiga, keeping them from moving any further beyond the crimson cage of Kikumo's shield. 

"You shall not interfere," Kikumo whispered as she once more got hold of her Hiroko Kama and stood up shakily, blood flowing from her shoulders and her eyes dry once more. She reached into her box of petals, and emptied its contents on her palm. Her green eyes roamed to where Naraku was, looming over the forms of Sesshoumaru and Kikyou dangling from the edge of the cliff. 

'Nothing personal, Naraku...' 

...o0o... 

Weehee! Whadya think will happen? Huh? Huh? Stay tuned for the final lap of this battle! 


	22. The Magnanimous Sickle Unveiled

**Chapter Twenty-one: The Magnanimous Sickle Unveiled **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** Okaay...the reviews for last chapter sort of formed a debate in my mind. Kill Kikumo or let her live? O.o Well, sorry but I already have a pre-set plot even before I started writing this story, and I feel it's now too late to change my plans for Kikumo. Gomen ne! -.-; And rest assured; I won't break Sesshie's heart once more! ;) 

...o0o... 

"There are too many of them!" Sango exclaimed. She snatched up her _hiraikotsu_ as it went flying back to her after dividing a demon vertically in half. The masses of demons had pushed them into a tight circle around the rocks where Rin had hidden. They were being surrounded on all corners - even flying _youkai_ were causing them trouble from above - and with such a limited number of defenders, things seemed futile. 

"I am going to suck them in!" Miroku answered quickly, throwing his monk's staff aside to loosen the beads wrapped around his right hand. But before he could fully release his _Kazaana_, Shippou frantically tugged at his robes and pointed at the numerous swarm of Hell's Insects hovering above them. 

_"Saimyoushou_, Miroku! I don't think that's a good idea!" the fox demon warned, jumping up and down at his heels. At that moment, a large _youkai_ bearing the form of a gigantic cricket began to shower some spiky black needles upon them. Sango, Miroku and Shippou hid under the demon exterminator's large boomerang as Kirara, who was previously on the defense of Rin, braved the needles and sprang up, taking the cricket _youkai_ neatly by its throat. 

Rin shuddered as the corpse of the large demon fell near the rocky ledge under which she was hiding, missing her by several feet. The little girl crawled out of her hideout and observed with quiet concern the seemingly hopeless struggle of her protectors to keep the numerous _youkai_ from reaching her. She by now understood that the monk Miroku couldn't use his primary weapon, the hole in his hand, because Naraku's bees are hovering above them. 

"Jaken-sama! Jaken-sama!" Rin called out to Sesshoumaru's retainer, who stood directly on top of the ledge she was hiding under, burning a couple of small rat-like demons scurrying near the foot of the rock. 

"Not now, Rin!" Jaken attempted to brush off whatever Rin had to say. Can't that human girl see he was busy here? 

"No, Jaken-sama, listen! Burn the bees!" Rin hurriedly answered back. 

"Bees?" the toady demon repeated her last word. His round eyes looked questioningly at Rin as to what she meant, and the young child pointed a stubby finger upwards. Jaken followed her gaze, and saw the _saimyoushou._

Jaken did not really expect himself to follow the suggestion of the little girl, but on impulse, he made fire shoot out of one of the heads of his staff. This fire chased Naraku's _saimyoushou_, who by then were hastily trying to fly to safety, but they had no escape because Miroku heard Rin's words and chose to come to the aid of the toady demon. The young monk retrieved his staff and locked the Hellish Insects in a bluish barrier, thus they were consumed by Jaken's fire. 

"That was a good idea, little Rin," Miroku said, beaming at the little girl, not even bothering to look at the grumbling figure of Jaken on the rock. Then he motioned the others to step back and get a good hold at something, for his Wind Tunnel is about to be unleashed. 

Sango dashed and gathered up Rin and Shippou in her arms. They held on to the young woman as she stuck the Flying Bone in an upright position in front of them and huddled behind it. Even Kirara had curled up behind Sango, Rin and Shippou. Jaken jumped down of the defenseless rock top and went under the ledge where Rin had hidden earlier, clinging on to the rocks for dear life. 

In a swish of blue cloth, the _Kazaana_ was out, and Miroku held out his right hand as far as he could from the rest of his body so as to prevent himself from being sucked in along with their demonic fiends. The demons gave a terrifying shriek as they fell into a raging struggle to escape the wind that sought to suck them into infinite depths. 

...o0o... 

In the gaping cliffside at the very heart of the doomed rock formation where the final battle was being held, the pupils Naraku's eyes contracted and a his face contorted into an expression of pain. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes to see numerous curved blades of the whitest color dash out in the wind and cut through the evil _hanyou_'s body in many places. Naraku recoiled slightly from the cliff edge to face with blazing eyes the source of the flying blades. His dark reddish eyes widened for a second in surprise before he regained the evil knowing smirk on his lips. 

"So, you've changed your mind, eh?" he whispered in a hissing tone, meeting eye to eye the solemn yet determined figure of Kikumo, who stood tall and straight with her fawn hair loose behind her. The Demoness' pale skin was marred here and there by bruises, and a fresh wound on her shoulder stained her earth-colored kimono with a large blot of crimson, but she still presented a great threat as she held onto her Hiroko Kama. Her deep green eyes flashed darkly, and she looked like a Demon Princess, indeed. 

"Show me that you're worthy of being called a Demon, you pathetic _hanyou_," she muttered, crouching low in an offensive stance with her _naginata._

Naraku's smirk widened amidst the numerous cuts and holes in his body that the Demoness' chrysanthemum wedges had done. He stepped off the clawed fingers that were bloodied by his malice and by the sharp jagged rocks of the cliff to accept the challenge. The Shikon no Tama glowed once more in his hand; the injuries disappeared from the evil one's body as though they had never been. 

"I knew this would come to pass..." Naraku said smugly, as he and Kikumo began to walk a slow wide circle on the rocky flat to anticipate the other's attacks. 

Sesshoumaru gave a low grunt to finally be free of Naraku's foot. He gave a whispered assurance to Kikyou, who tightened her hold around his neck once more. Putting forth the lessons and skills his life as a Demon Lord had taught him, Sesshoumaru concentrated his physical power on his hand and wrist as he hoisted himself and his beloved onto stable ground once more. The force of his exertions and the bleeding on his only hand had robbed him of his usual strength, and Sesshoumaru half-collapsed on the ground as soon as his feet made contact with the smooth rock. 

Kikyou, who also had her share of exhaustion due to the lack of souls in her clay body, fell on all fours after she let go of her grasp on his neck, struggling to regain her lost breath. Her mahogany eyes became draped with concern and love to feel Sesshoumaru take her once more into his embrace, his heavy breathing clear in her ears. 

"My Kikyou...you know I cannot live without you..." Sesshoumaru whispered into her ear as he buried his face in her dark raven locks. 

"Sesshoumaru..." was all she could say to hear the intensity of emotions in his whisper. His hand wrapped around her waist had stained her white blouse with blood, but she cared not. Kikyou gently took hold of his wounded hand to observe the intensity of the damage done, and she felt her heart break at the sight of the fresh cuts, some of them quite deep and still bleeding. The Priestess felt tears stinging her eyes as she kissed his bruised fingers. "My heart...can you ever forgive me for causing you so much pain?" 

"Kikyou..." Sesshoumaru muttered, but their cherished exchange of words was interrupted by the sudden shaking of the ground. The platinum-haired _youkai_ and the raven-haired miko looked further inland, and they beheld the rocks crumbling as Naraku and Kikumo exchanged their first set of blows. Sesshoumaru already had presumptions as to why Kikumo distracted Naraku from casting them down the chasm, and he saw them justified. 

In Kikumo's scarlet barrier, Kagome had busied herself into helping Inuyasha free himself from the Demoness' chrysanthemum blades. 

"Hurry, Kagome!" Inuyasha said between gritted teeth. He could not struggle much, of course. The curved crescents were sharp in themselves, and he would cut himself if he tried to move. 

"Keep quiet, Inuyasha!" Kagome snapped back as she got hold of the untransformed Tessaiga and used its blunt blade to try to wrench the first blade from her love's left wrist. She had tried her bare hands in her first attempts, and only got her palm cut in turn. 

"I want you to _free_ me, not _cut_ me!" Inuyasha answered back, mortified at her idea of using his sword to take out the white crescents. 

"Don't you trust me enough to know I cannot bear to hurt you, Inuyasha?" Kagome replied, half-angrily, half-desolately. "And besides, the blades have cut into the rocks rather deeply. You have to _trust_ me, Inuyasha!" 

Inuyasha looked into the human girl's eyes for a brief moment before he finally yielded and gave her a little smile, saying, "I trust you, Kagome." 

Kagome wordlessly smiled back and set off to work. As soothingly yet as cautiously as possible, she chiseled at the rock with the dull blade of the Tessaiga, hacking small rock particles off the sharp crescent to loosen its hold on the rock face. 

Meanwhile, the shape-shifting _hanyou_ had engaged in a close combat with the paragon of the Deer clan, his lashing tentacles snaking after Kikumo, who was running with the speed of lightning in and out of the rocky pinnacles. Many a tentacle, she cut, but the Shikon jewel helped Naraku and regenerated his lost body parts as swiftly as Kikumo hacked them. 

"You foolish woman," Naraku sneered. "You think you can defeat _me?"_

Kikumo bounded up behind a column of rock, but Naraku ran after her and brought down the rocky pedestal with his fleshy tendrils, sending a shower of spiky stones down on her. Kikumo was swift, however, and she managed to evade being crushed beneath the rubble. 

"There is only one fool here," Kikumo answered, her fawn hair flying behind her as she attacked Naraku with the speed their tribe was known for. She sent numerous blasts of energy out of her _naginata_ and directed them at her enemy. For dozens of times, Naraku was hit and his body parts scattered, but thanks to the power of the Shikon, he had no trouble pulling the bits and pieces of himself together and renewed his attacks with his adversary. 

By this time, Sesshoumaru had recovered his demon-strength, and his blood had formed a crust over his wounds, stopping the bleeding. Kikyou was less lucky. She could move less and less with each second, for her clay body had no soul of its own and could not get even a single one in the difficulty of the situation. Kikumo and Naraku had moved deeper into the rock formation, and the jagged rocks obscured the deadly, if not incredible, attacks of the two opponents from their eyes. But no physical obstruction could ever cloak the intense flaring auras as they fought. 

"We have to follow them, Sesshoumaru," Kikyou gasped, struggling to get up with the limited mobility that she had. She managed to get up to her feet, but she soon collapsed backwards as her powerless knees gave way. Sesshoumaru was up at once, and he once more wrapped his arm around her waist to sustain her, not caring if the wounds in his hand would reopen by the action. 

"Let me be your support," he said softly, and she gave a warm nod as a reply. She hooked her left arm around his shoulders, her blood-spattered sleeve brushing his furry pelt, and Sesshoumaru was off in an instant. He paused for a moment to let Kikyou recover her bow where it lay near the center of the battlefield, thankful that it was undamaged by the clashing wraths of Naraku and the Demoness. 

"Hey, don't leave us in here!" Inuyasha yelled out to them. Kagome had succeeded in freeing his left wrist from Kikumo's arched blade, and she let out an exclamation of warning as the half-demon tried to go after the other pair with his right hand still tacked to the rock wall. 

Sesshoumaru, who was about to leap over the jagged top of a rock pinnacle to get to the other side of the formation, stopped to observe his half-brother and Kikyou's reincarnation trapped under a red shield, no doubt Kikumo's doing. Gruffly, he let go of his grasp on Kikyou's waist to shoot out a single spray of poison at the red barrier. 

Once the red traces of the shield had melted under the toxic quality of his _Dokkasou_, Sesshoumaru said coldly, "No one has the time to wait for you, brother." With that, he turned and jumped off, Kikyou in his arm's support, to the other side of the rock wall to get to Naraku and Kikumo. 

"He would have killed us!" Inuyasha said impatiently and furiously as Kagome hurriedly worked on the other blade to free Inuyasha. The _hanyou_, to vent out his anger and disappointment was punching the air with his free hand. 

"At least he destroyed Kikumo's barrier for us," Kagome muttered, sweat running down her temples as she chipped at the rock with the Tessaiga. "And will you please stop thrashing about? You are slowing my progress and you are going to cut yourself further!" 

...o0o... 

Purple flashes of light collided with green as Naraku shot out a glowing ball of energy at Kikumo, who neutralized it with her own _youki_ which she channeled through her Hiroko Kama. Beyond the craggy heights of the rock pinnacles was a barren field which housed no plant life except for several dead tree stumps and sparse grasses that browned with the lack of water. It was in this seemingly insignificant field where the final judgment took place. 

"You still love Sesshoumaru, don't you?" Naraku taunted the female _youkai_, who was beginning to tire after fighting two consecutive battles with two equally different opponents. The wound the _taiyoukai_ had inflicted on Kikumo's shoulder was bleeding again, and fresh drops of her blood was dripping down her silken robes, painting her earth-colored kimono a nauseating crimson. "What a pity...you threw away a promising suitor and lost him to a human." 

"Shut that rotted mouth of yours, Naraku!" Kikumo shouted, bounding up in the air with the grace of a gull, her weapon raised at a perfect angle to smite her foe in half. One can easily see the burning anger - and shame - written in those emerald orbs, which by then were beginning to turn a vivid shade of red. 

Naraku smirked to see his ex-ally acting out of her emotions. So, she was using him to vent out her rage and indignity at her demise? He shot out a sharp tentacle at her, neatly grabbing her on the neck and throwing her backwards a good many feet. 

Kikumo let out a pained moan as her body bounced for a couple of times on the hard ground before the momentum of the throw eventually weakened and pulled her to a stop. She struggled to keep her eyes open for a few seconds before she, weakened by the loss of blood and driven into grief by heartbreak, blacked out. That was how Sesshoumaru and Kikyou first saw her when they finally crossed over the rocky barrier to keep track of Kikumo's duel with Naraku. 

The great Demon Lord of the West touched down with the ease of a fleeting shade on the barren ground, Kikyou by his side. The Priestess held in one of her hands her archer's bow, and she could not help but feel concern tugging at her conscience to see Kikumo in such a wretched state. 

Naraku had approached the unconscious figure of the Demoness, a grin of malice on his face. His numerous tentacles had reached out to wrap around Kikumo's waist and he lifted her up a few feet from the ground. Even though the evil _hanyou_ felt Sesshoumaru's and Kikyou's presence nearby, he paid no particular attention to them. He would deal with them later, as long as he had finished with this one. 

"I feel great power lurking within this flower, wilted it might seem," Naraku muttered, his dark scheme glazing his eyes with a hellish gleam. "Don't worry, I will not let that power waste away..." His tentacles lifted Kikumo's limp body and brought her closer and closer into the waiting arms of the _hanyou_. Even more tentacles began to spring from his back, and were slowly wrapping themselves loosely around the full _youkai._

Kikyou took some time to realize that Naraku was after Kikumo's powers. He would absorb her...just as he had tried to take Sesshoumaru's full demon powers away. She started to walk towards Naraku and prevent him from doing more devilries when Sesshoumaru's arm on her waist stopped her. 

The beautiful Priestess looked up with surprise at her beloved. She understood his hurt at the Demoness' betrayal, and Kikyou, herself, had even sworn that she will make Kikumo pay for her misdeed. But Sesshoumaru has a soft heart within as well... He can't hate Kikumo to the point that he will allow her to be taken by their prime enemy...can he? Sesshoumaru knew of Naraku's gross tactic to absorb his enemies' powers for his own; he _had_ to understand in some way... 

"Naraku's going to take her powers, Sesshoumaru," she whispered, hoping that he will comprehend. "We have to help her..." 

A strange sad expression flashed over Sesshoumaru's amber eyes, but he only tightened his hold around her. "Kikumo hasn't unleashed her true powers yet. Naraku's underestimation of her is his undoing." Kikyou looked deeply into his eyes, trying to understand his reasons, but he avoided her eye. 

'He still cares for Kikumo...but he couldn't express it freely because I am around,' was the thought that circulated in her mind, but Kikyou's attention was diverted towards Naraku and Kikumo again. The Demoness' later action shocked her entirely. 

Kikumo appeared to regain her consciousness in Naraku's tentacles, and her stunned emerald eyes met Naraku's reddish ones before his tentacles pulled her fully into his clutches. Kikumo felt her powers putting up a struggle as Naraku began to suck them from her. Now was the time. 

Lifting the Hiroko Kama - thankful was she that her hand had not loosened its hold on the naginata for one moment - Kikumo plunged it straight into the hanyou's back with her failing strength. 

The Magnanimous Sickle began to glow red as its blade plunged deeply into the enemy's back, and Kikumo shouted in all her might, "Fall into the power of the Magnanimous Sickle, _Onigumo!"_

By this time, Inuyasha and Kagome had caught up with Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. Rather clumsily, the half-demon descended the nearly vertical rock columns and dropped right down next to the older pair. 

"What did we miss?" Inuyasha hastily inquired, letting Kagome dismount from his back. 

"Naraku's end is near..." Sesshoumaru replied enigmatically. But they were prevented from questioning him further because the scene taking place before them was too incredible to be missed. 

Kikyou had noted that Kikumo addressed their now common enemy by his past person, the wretched thief whom she nursed with her sister Kaede. Why had she done that? But the answer soon came upon them. Naraku began to writhe and he let out screams of pure agony as his form began to melt before their very eyes. In a sharp gesture, he discharged the Deer _youkai_, still clutching onto a glowing Hiroko Kama, from his jumble of body parts. A shudder went through Kikumo's body before becoming still on the hard ground, but it was too late for Naraku. 

Melting away was the body he acquired by selling himself to demons, and with it the evil powers he had gathered throughout his dark lifetime. Gone were his tentacles and his raven hair, and where Naraku stood earlier was Onigumo, burned and disfigured...an epitome of a life wasted by lust and greed. 

Seeing this turn of events, Kikyou slid from Sesshoumaru's arm and stepped forward. Putting her very existence at stake, she held out her hands in Onigumo's direction to deliver the final blow. Bright light shot out of her hands as she declared the dreaded command, and the ground beneath the shameful thief split to reveal the gaping mouth of the Netherworld. 

_"I summon you to Hell!"_

Inuyasha and Kagome held on to each other and looked away, not possessing the right strength of will to gaze at the dreadful scene. Sesshoumaru, however, stood unflinchingly as metal shackles were clamped around the pitiful soul's feet, and a soul-shattering shriek cut through their ears as Onigumo, whom they knew better as Naraku, finally was dragged into the fiery pit where he was to exist in torment for eternity. 

The ground closed once more, leaving no traces of the Hell fire that previously licked out from beneath it. The Shikon no Tama was thrown up in the air when Naraku reached his nemesis, and the glassy violet ball began to glow dully as it began to descend once more into the barren ground. 

Kikyou, amidst her extreme weariness, extended herself as far as she could go to catch the Tama before it touched the hard soil. When the infamous Jewel finally made contact with the skin of her hand, a blinding flash appeared, cutting through the darkness of the land. Sesshoumaru, proud as he was, was forced to divert his eyes from this white light, and the bright miasma endured for long before dissipating, revealing its secrets to the world outside. 

...o0o... 

Just as Miroku finished sucking in all the evil demons that threatened to engulf them, a bright flash went across the sky, making them shield their eyes. In a brief moment, this white light cut back the darkness cloaking the sky and land, revealing a forest renewed where desert sand lolled and a shining sun gazing down on them warmly with her radiant eyes. 

"What was that?" Sango muttered, too shocked for words. They were all staring openmouthed at the tall trees that now towered above them, giving them comfort in their shade. 

"It means Sesshoumaru-sama, Kikyou-sama, Inuyasha-sama and Kagome-sama have succeeded!" Rin declared triumphantly, jumping up and down with glee. 

Shippou and Jaken danced together ecstatically for a while before they finally realized what they were doing. Rin, herself, hugged Kirara, who had returned to her cuddly form. 

Sango smiled at the happiness of their companions, but she stopped short to feel a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Miroku beaming. The young woman could tell something had changed in him. 

"Finally, I can hug you without worrying that I will suck you in my hand!" the young man said before embracing her. 

It took a while for Sango to realize what he meant. But when she did, she let out the most joyful shout of them all. Miroku was free of Naraku's curse, and he cupped her cheek gently with his right hand, knowing that a bottomless pit no longer resided in his palm. 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru's amber eyes widened to see Kikyou lying limply on the ground. Around them, numerous points of faint light which he knew were actually souls hovered. The souls had escaped from her fragile body? Kikyou, you can't be dead...not now... His heart beat wildly against his rib cage as he hurried quickly to her side, kneeling low to take her into his arm, hoping against hope that his worst expectations are wrong. 

And wrong they were, indeed. Even before his cut hand had descended on Kikyou's raven locks, she stirred. Gradually, the Priestess raised herself from the ground and her mahogany eyes locked with Sesshoumaru's amber in a gesture both loving and mystifying. 

Sesshoumaru could sense it, something was different in her. Her dark brown eyes carried a brighter glow in them, as though they were lit by lamps from within. Her scent was still sweet to his senses...it was the same yet not the same; her scent carried on a different flavor. And her smile! Such radiance, such love! 

"Sesshoumaru..." she whispered his name, and even her voice seemed to ring more clearly in his ears. Kikyou opened one of her hands, and Sesshoumaru had a fleeting glance at the Shikon jewel nestling on her palm before it dissolved into a wisp of smoke. Thus vanished from the world the Tama, the single jewel that divided many, killed countless, yet at the same time, brought together lonely souls to share a single love. 

Kikyou's hand reached out to gently clasp his, and Sesshoumaru felt the warmth coursing through his body at her touch. Now, he understood. The stolen souls had gone from her body because she no longer needed them. Kikyou now had a living body of her own, and even more, a restored soul that resided within a beating heart that was linked to his own spirit. That mere thought made his heart sing with joy too intense to be described. 

A pained moan, however, distracted them from their blissful musings. Their eyes glanced where Kikumo lay, breathing her last. 

Kikyou was kneeling beside her former adversary in an instant, praying amidst the past wounds that she would be all right. Sesshoumaru knelt on her other side, though he approached more sedately. Inuyasha was about to say something, but Kagome put a hand on his shoulder, advising him with words unsaid that they should not get in the way. The _hanyou_ paused before he gave in to her, and stayed where they were. 

"Kikumo..." Kikyou's concerned voice made their way into the fallen youkai's ears. With great effort, she fluttered her emerald eyes open and gazed up at the two faces looking down on her. 

"Kikyou..." she said quietly, looking deeply into the mahogany eyes of the Priestess, whom she used to hate. "You have succeeded..." 

"Naraku's gone," Kikyou replied, choosing her words carefully. "You are free now." 

"Free..." Kikumo muttered, her eyes becoming hazy as tears began to cascade down her cheeks. "I can never be free of the guilt...I caused you all so much pain..." She turned her head to look at Sesshoumaru. He was gazing at her solemnly, his face devoid of all emotions. "Sesshoumaru..." 

Kikumo choked on his name, the intensity of feelings that single name gave her... Her hand strayed to her waist, and from there she took the Sword of Life, the Tenseiga for which she had spent her worthless efforts and had spelled her own doom. Weakly, she placed the sword, scabbard and all, on his lap, with the words, "Oh, can I ever earn your forgiveness...?" 

Sesshoumaru was silent, and his face masked whatever emotions lay beneath. Accepting his lack of answer, Kikumo closed her eyes and opened them once more to look up at the clearing sky above. She gently ran her hand over her beloved weapon, which now looked considerably battered after its previous attack. 

"You helped us considerably by transforming Naraku back to Onigumo," Kikyou whispered, trying her best to lift the Demoness' spirits in her final moments. "We are in your debt." 

Kikumo smiled, though sadly. "The Hiroko Kama," she explained, her voice fading with each second, "is made from the antlers of my father, Hisano of the Deer Clan. It was actually inspired by the nature of the Tenseiga. Though it could not restore lives as the Healing Fang could, its true powers are, to roughly explain, 'to restore the original state' and 'to make whole'." 

"'To restore the original state'?" Kikyou repeated. She recalled how the Hiroko Kama transformed Naraku back into Onigumo. That wretched thief was his original person, and Naraku is but a living illusion woven by his hate and evil. This weakness, the Magnanimous Sickle used, and thus uncloaked the reality that Onigumo can never be obliterated from Naraku. 

Kikumo felt her chest growing heavier with each second. She'd better wrap up her worldly affairs before it was too late. She reached up to her fawn hair and pulled out her hair stick, the blue one that had a green tassel and glass chrysanthemum embedded on top. This priceless relic, she pressed into Kikyou's palm. 

"Kikyou," she said, mustering up the courage to call her by her name. "This I give to you. Thrust it into the soil, and it can make any plant grow, in almost any place. I know that its power will be of more use to you than it ever was for me... I used my clan's resources for evil, and I hope the guilt that wraps around that ornament will be purified in your hands..." 

Kikyou wordlessly closed her hand over the hair stick, and her eyes narrowed in growing worry to feel Kikumo's life force dwindling. Sesshoumaru hadn't reacted at all... He hadn't even touched the Tenseiga even if it now lay on his grasp... 

"The Tenseiga..." Kikyou muttered, and her eyes brightened for a second. "Yes, the Sword of Life! Kikumo, there's still hope. You can still live. Sesshoumaru, you can use the sword to-" 

"I'm afraid it's too late for that," Kikumo broke her off between sobs. "Please, I am tired. I wish to go home. I cannot live knowing that I would only stand between you and Sesshoumaru..." She shifted her eyes from Kikyou to her past lover. He still did not speak, and Kikumo once more looked up at the sky. "But..." 

Her hand was on the Hiroko Kama again. With the last of her strength, she lifted the _naginata_ and with its blunt edge touched Sesshoumaru's left shoulder. After this was done, Kikumo's lips broke into the first true smile after many a long time. Sesshoumaru's eyes softened considerably, and though Kikyou could not grasp the meaning of Kikumo's last action, she was relieved to see the Demoness' face at peace. 

"I know that simple gesture may not make up for my previous wicked actions," she whispered, her eyes never leaving Sesshoumaru. Kikyou knew that they were losing her. "But at least...in my death...I got to spend my last moments...with you..." Kikumo's voice faltered, her hand grew limp, and her eyes closed in eternal rest. Only for now, can she finally be happy. 

A gust of wind blew from the West, and before their eyes, the body of the Flower of the Deer tribe and the Magnanimous Sickle dissolved into ashes. The breeze scattered their remains around the dead field, and where the ashes touched, grass began to grow, and white chrysanthemums burst into bloom, bringing forth life in a place once wretched. 

Kikyou held back her tears at this last gift of Kikumo. She may have been marred by evil, but she still managed to live up the principles of her clan in the end. Beautify the land...care for it... She had been saved even in the end. 

"Kikyou..." Sesshoumaru finally spoke, and she raised her head to meet his. Though she clearly read the sadness imprinted in his amber eyes (after all, one can never really forget one's first love), there was also relief and peace. They had gone through so much, staking their lives and their love, and now their reward lay before them. Now they could love each other freely, heedless of the odds. 

Smiles returned to their lips, and Kikyou threw herself into his embrace, rejoicing in their new freedom. Sesshoumaru's grin widened as he held her close. Surprise went through his lover's face to feel something different in his embrace...to see him holding her with two arms. Kikyou finally understood what Kikumo had done. 

'To make whole...' she thought, capturing Sesshoumaru's lips in a delighted kiss. 'Thank you for making us whole, Kikumo...' 

...o0o... 

Wee! Yay! Only one more chapter to go! ;) Did you SERIOUSLY think I would kill Kikyou? I cannot do that! T.T Oh well, at least things are all right now...and Kikumo did something of worth before she died... Please stay tuned for the Grand Finale! 


	23. Out of the Chains of Darkness

**Epilogue: Out of the Chains of Darkness **

Author: Nefertili 

**Fandom:** Inuyasha 

**Rating:** PG13 

**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC 

**Genre(s):** Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU 

**Warning(s):** Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say? 

**Disclaimer:** None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. 

**Summary:** Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik! 

**A/N:** /Sobs/ I can't believe it, this is the ending! I read through my fic, and I could hardly believe I had actually gone this far! And now I would have to let go... /Sniffles/ Well, I indeed felt some sort of 'emptiness' when Kikumo died; she's after all, a character of mine. Now, off to Sesshy and Kiky... 

...o0o... 

"Are you sure you're not coming with us, Kikyou?" Inuyasha asked of the beautiful maiden, as though he was unsure of what the answer will be. 

Kikyou, her mahogany eyes shining with the fire of life, nodded as she bade the half-demon and his friends farewell after their victory over Naraku and the death of the Demon Princess Kikumo. The land was now cleansed of the evil _hanyou_'s works and the Shikon no Tama had been purified; they are now free to do as they pleased. 

"I am sure of my decisions," she said, thinking of her pact with her lover that they will follow each other to the very end. Naraku's banishment to Hell was not the end of everything; there was still a life to be lived, especially now that Kikyou had a living body of her own and Sesshoumaru had regained full use of his limbs. 

The dog-eared _hanyou_ shrugged, but did not further attempt to dissuade Kikyou from her choice. A younger raven-haired girl's hand was looped around his arm, and Kagome exchanged friendly smiles with Kikyou, knowing the 'responsibility' the modern schoolgirl now had over Inuyasha. 

"Make sure he does not get himself in trouble," Kikyou said half-warningly, half-humorously, her long raven hair glinting in the gentle light of the spring sun. 

"Of course," Kagome replied with a good-humored laugh, and in a swift motion, she got hold of the rosary which hung around Inuyasha's neck for the purpose of making him sit in place if the need arose. To the complete surprise of everyone present, the younger miko slipped it off the half-demon's neck. "I suppose you have learned to behave yourself, Inuyasha?" 

Inuyasha could only blink and stare at the beads of the rosary, which was now dangling from Kagome's free hand. At last, she had finally decided to free him from that loathsome curse! 

"Ah, Kagome, do you really mean what you're doing?" little Shippou, who was sitting on Miroku's shoulder, dubiously queried of the girl. Inuyasha would have gone off and planted a lump on the fox demon's head if not Kagome held on to his arm and dangled the detested rosary forbiddingly before his eyes. 

"Um, don't forget I still have this," Kagome said craftily, her eyebrow raised. "And I can slip it around your neck anytime." 

Laughter soon overwhelmed Kagome's threat, and Kikyou shifted her gaze from the silver-haired hanyou and her reincarnation to their other companions. Miroku had his arm around Sango's waist, and they sat on Kirara's fighting form. Kikyou smiled at them, thinking of how they loved each other. Now that the monk is freed from the curse of the _Kazaana_, he could live normally; and fortunately by his beloved's side. 

"My best wishes go with you," Kikyou told them. 

"Thank you, Kikyou-sama," Sango said humbly, bowing her head slightly in the other woman's direction. She then stole a warning glance at Miroku, whose hand was groping lower and lower behind her. "I will manage to discipline this stubborn man soon enough." 

"I suppose we can take our leave, then?" Kagome said, pulling Inuyasha towards Kirara. At that very moment, an energetic form of Rin came running from across the end of the field with her arms full of white chrysanthemums. 

"Flowers for Kagome-sama and her friends!" Rin excitedly held up the chrysanthemums to the girl clad in a school uniform. Kagome let go of her grasp on Inuyasha's arm to accept the armful of flowers from the young child. 

"Why, thank you Rin!" Kagome said in gratitude. However, her expression, along with Kikyou's and Inuyasha's, took on a somber look. They witnessed Kikumo in her time of death, and the chrysanthemums are her living memory, having been born from her ashes. They had seen her as their other companions could never envision her. "Where is Sesshoumaru?" It was only then that they, with the exception of Kikyou and Rin, realized that the Demon Lord and his retainer are not with them. 

"He's probably on a stroll," Kikyou replied, not so perturbed by her lover's absence. "He could be reflecting on the turn of events." _Specifically Kikumo's death_, she added to herself. 

The members of Inuyasha's company, with the exception of Inuyasha himself, let out deceptively low sighs. Sesshoumaru had joined them in a temporary allegiance against Naraku, but now that their common fiend was gone, he would not have any more to do with them. 

"Oh well, may heaven's blessings be with you both," Miroku said to Kikyou. He then turned to the eager-eyed figure of Rin. "Maybe you can watch over Jaken now." 

Rin and Kikyou laughed at the young man's little joke. By this time, Inuyasha and Kagome had mounted Kirara on her rear end. It was time to say goodbye. 

"Goodbye, until we meet again!" Kagome said joyfully as Kirara went up the air in flight. Kikyou and Rin waved at them from the field and them from the cat demon's back. 

"Rin will never forget Inuyasha-sama and his friends!" Rin called out to them just before they disappeared in the sky. 

Now that they were alone once more, Kikyou took Rin's hand and they gently trod among the fresh grasses and blooming chrysanthemums, off to find Sesshoumaru and Jaken. 

"They were such fun people to be with, Kikyou-sama!" Rin chattered. 

"Yes, indeed," Kikyou replied, smiling at the child. 

Rin skipped lightly over the grass and swung her hand that Kikyou was holding on to. She was in high spirits, for she was still a child, untroubled by the trials and battles her older companions underwent for reasons she was untroubled of as well. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama seems sad," Rin remarked softly, slowing down her steps and looking intently up at the maiden's gentle features. "Why is Sesshoumaru-sama sad, Kikyou-sama?" Apparently, she had seen the _taiyoukai_ earlier, his normally cold features laced with melancholy. 

"He will tell you when the time is right," Kikyou replied, squeezing the little girl's hand affectionately. "But for now, we must not bother Sesshoumaru-sama about it." She sighed inwardly to herself. Kikyou knew that Sesshoumaru loved her more than he had ever loved Kikumo, but the manner of her death was enough to touch even the heart of the normally cold Demon Lord. And the fact that Kikumo once shared a past one-sided relationship with him doubled the sentiment. 

'Sesshoumaru, what grief you feel, I feel as well...' 

...o0o... 

Sesshoumaru stood still and silent before the grave marker they had erected for the Deer _youkai_. A fresh spring breeze was blowing, making his platinum hair dance in its unheard cadence. Jaken stood beside him, though the greater Demon knew that his retainer was only there because of his master's presence. He had not seen Kikumo dying, and for that he could not feel the sympathy Sesshoumaru and Kikyou felt for her. 

The Lord of the West sighed inwardly. He knew that she loved him; she loved him enough to put forth the last powers of the Hiroko Kama to restore his left arm. But more than that, she loved him enough to let him go. Such a fair and powerful daughter of the Deer Clan, whose heart given to someone who could not return such love... That mere thought is enough to make his heart clench. 

Sesshoumaru ran a hand over the handle of the Tenseiga, which now hung from his sash beside the Toukijin. Though he did not so much miss the sword when it was taken from him, he regarded his father's heirloom with more respect. The renewal of Kikyou's soul and Kikumo's death had emphasized the ever-changing wheel of life, and he knew that even a powerful Demon Lord as he is subject to nature's higher laws. He was providential to have the Sword of Life to protect him. 

'In any case, you are now free to play your koto whenever you wish,' he thought, remembering how the Hiroko Kama dissolved into ashes along with her body. A fraction of Sesshoumaru's heart will always remember Kikumo, but he could never love her as strongly as he once did, for his heart had already been given to a certain miko. 'Farewell, my first love.' 

His sharp sense of hearing made out the sound of soft footfalls, and Sesshoumaru looked over his right shoulder to hear his name called softly by a tender voice. 

"Sesshoumaru..." 

Golden eyes meet mahogany, and a gentle hand reached out to grasp his as Kikyou bridged the distance between them. 

...o0o... 

"Kikyou..." Sesshoumaru whispered, rubbing the back of her delicate hand with his thumb, his eyes never leaving hers. There was so much that he wanted to tell her, but he couldn't find the right words to express his thoughts. 

Kikyou, fortunately, knew his feelings deep enough to accept his silence, and she rested her head against his furry pelt. She had come to be with him, to pay their last respect to their deceased friend before they leave. Leave to where? Kikyou ask Sesshoumaru about that later; what are his plans now that Naraku's vanquished? But for now, she simply gave him her companionship, to tell him that he was not alone in his silent grieving. 

Rin, childish though she was, decided that she and Jaken-sama ought not to disturb Kikyou-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama in their quiet moment. As silently as she could, the little girl tapped Jaken on the shoulder and pulled him out to the field once more. 

"Hey, Rin; what are you doing!" the toady demon nearly demanded, but Rin immediately silenced him by placing a hand over his mouth. 

"Let us play among the flowers, Jaken-sama!" Rin whispered. "Sesshoumaru-sama and Kikyou-sama deserve to be together for a moment." 

Though Jaken wanted to protest, he looked back to where their Lord and the Priestess stood. Sesshoumaru had wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulders, and Jaken knew that he only has to accept the fact that their master had indeed fallen for the miko. Reluctantly, the lesser Demon followed Rin to the other end of the field and sat himself among some soft grasses to wait for Sesshoumaru's orders. 

But the _taiyoukai_ chose to take his time with his beloved, and for long they just stood there, gazing at the three good-sized stones marking where Kikumo died, breathing in the slightly bitter scent of the white chrysanthemums in the field. Chrysanthemums are autumn flowers, like the bellflower. But endowed by magic, the field's flowers bloomed even if the season was way past fall. 

Kikyou smiled slightly at this new similarity between her and the deceased Demoness. They were two different flowers, yet they bloomed in the same season. They were of two different races, two different personalities, yet they fell for the same man. In the end, it was the bellflower that came out as the victorious one. Though the chrysanthemum was battered and her petals thrown in the wind of suffering, she had become one with the soil and provided the loam more nourishment for new plants to grow. 

"Kikyou," Sesshoumaru whispered her name once more, and she diverted her gaze from the stones to look up at her beloved. 

"Darling?" Kikyou said in the same whispery tone. Sesshoumaru smiled ever so slightly to hear her call him by a term of endearment, and he turned himself a little to completely face his beloved. He affectionately cupped her cheeks, rejoicing in the lovely smoothness of her skin and the glorious shine of her eyes. 

"My bellflower," he said, touching their foreheads together in an affectionate gesture. "Peace has now been restored in these lands. Come with me to the West; be with me for eternity." 

"To the West?" Kikyou asked, reaching out to stroke his platinum hair. The untamed West...where Demons thrive in abundance, a stranger place to humans...the place where Sesshoumaru inherited his father's position as its ruler. He was inviting her to come with him to that Land, to leave everything behind. 

Sesshoumaru parted his head slightly from Kikyou. Undoubtedly, she had heard notorious stories of the Western Lands, but will she let that come between them? He took her hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing them softly. 

"I will not let anyone, be it human or youkai, inflict harm on you for as long as I live," Sesshoumaru promised her, his amber eyes shining. "I love you, Kikyou. I love you more than the three worlds put together..." He broke off, his voice thick with emotions. 

Kikyou, her eyes becoming misty, kissed Sesshoumaru soothingly on the lips to drive away whatever doubts he might have. He need not tell her how much he loved her, for she could feel the intensity of his love in her heart. She will follow him to the ends of the earth, if it was asked of her. 

"My Sesshoumaru...you know that I love you more than life itself. You followed me almost to the point of death in Naraku's lair; now, I will follow you in your journeys for the rest of my life. I will come with you to the Western Lands. I will give up my powers if you ask it of me." 

At her words, Sesshoumaru swept Kikyou up in his arms and twirled her for several times around the field of chrysanthemums in his intense elation. The young maiden's eyes widened for a moment in surprise before she laughed merrily, letting her raven hair flow freely in the wind as her partner spun her around in a blissful dance among the white chrysanthemums. 

Kikyou entangled her fingers in his platinum locks as she captured his lips in an equally overjoyed kiss, and finally Sesshoumaru stopped twirling her around. He, however, still held her close as they locked their lips together, their teeth clashing in a passionate frenzy. 

Eventually, they broke their lip-lock in their lungs' plea for fresh air. They gazed into one another's eyes as they clung on to each other, obviously taken breathless by their previous actions. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama and Kikyou-sama really love each other," Rin remarked dreamily as she sat beside Jaken, observing the antics of their Lord and the human Priestess from across the field. Jaken, however, chose not to look. He was not as naive as she. 

Sesshoumaru and Kikyou heard Rin's remark even from the distance, and they flustered for a moment. Of course, how could they forget that they have a child in their company? Reluctantly, they pulled apart, quite embarrassed to find out that Rin had been watching them. 

"I guess we'd better get going, ourselves," Kikyou muttered, hastily running her hands over a lock of her raven hair and sparing him an apologetic smile. "We must not taint this field with our presence. This is, after all, Kikumo's final resting place." 

Sesshoumaru sighed and gazed at the chrysanthemums strewn in abundance about their feet. Inhaling their slightly bitter odor, he felt his senses clearing. "Kikumo...chrysanthemum field...I feel her presence around us, and I can almost hear the music of her koto in the wind." 

Kikyou comfortingly placed a hand on his shoulder. "In the end, she had no more sorrow when she became one with the earth. I am sure that wherever she may be now, she is in peace, and she will continue to watch over us." 

...o0o... 

Rin excitedly mounted Ah-Un, whom Jaken had summoned out of nowhere moments ago. She was excited by the prospect of going to the Western Lands, where Sesshoumaru-sama ruled. There would be plenty of new things to see, and what made her even more ecstatic was that Kikyou-sama told her that she was now going with them all the time. They can really live happily ever after now. 

"Are we going to walk to the West, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin inquired of the Demon Lord, who had just finished giving several instructions to Jaken. 

Sesshoumaru's lips curved up slightly at Rin's innocence. "No, Rin. It will take us a very long time," Jaken answered for their master, mounting Ah-Un and sitting himself in front of the little girl. "Sesshoumaru-sama insists that we fly." 

"Fly?" Kikyou repeated, hardly believing her ears. She had, in the past, used her _shinidamachuu_ to transport her to places if enough souls are not available for her clay body. The white demons would wrap their snakelike bodies around her and they would float away with her clay body, but she had never experienced real flight. 

Sesshoumaru made his way towards her, amused at her dumbfounded look. 

"Rin and Jaken will fly on Ah-Un," he told her. "You will fly with me." 

Kikyou still looked confused, and the Demon Lord sighed. So, the miko still does not know the extent of his abilities? Even though she was completely living now, she had retained much of the stubborn Kikyou that Sesshoumaru grew to love. This would be very interesting... 

"Let us show this doubting miko what we mean, Jaken," Sesshoumaru ordered his retainer, a knowing smirk on his face. Kikyou crossed her arms over her chest and pretended to frown, but she was laughing inwardly. Sesshoumaru is resorting to his old teasing tricks again. 

Having received the order, Jaken took hold of Ah-Un's reins and sent the two-headed dragon up the air in flight. Before Kikyou could recover from the shock, Sesshoumaru swept her off her feet once more and leaped up the air with aristocratic grace, carrying her bridal style. 

"Sesshoumaru, what are you doing...?" Kikyou muttered, her eyes tightly shut and her arms wrapped around his neck in a nearly death grip. 

"I once told you that I will give you a taste on how it feels to really fly," Sesshoumaru's deep voice answered, a comfort to her ears. "Open your eyes, darling; you are perfectly safe with me." 

Kikyou gradually fluttered her mahogany eyes open, and what her sight beheld was enough to take her breath away. A sparkling red cloud had appeared beneath his feet, and bore them aloft in the high breezes. Kikyou looked around her in awe. The blue sky was above them, and the emerald forests of the land spread out beneath them like a blanket of velvet. She loosened her grip around his neck, enthralled. 

Sesshoumaru smiled at his lover's delight, and he whispered, "How does it feel to fly, Kikyou?" 

"Oh, Sesshoumaru, it's wonderful!" Kikyou said, caressing his neck with her cheek. "The spring landscape is so beautiful..." 

"It's not nearly as beautiful as you are," Sesshoumaru replied, smiling tenderly as Kikyou blushed. "It's all right for you to stand on the cloud; I am right here, beside you." 

Buoyed by his assurance, Kikyou allowed her feet to be lowered on the red flowing cloud, and she rejoiced in the breeze that ran through her hair and caressed her face. Sesshoumaru's arms went around her waist, and she tilted her head back to his chest and absorbed his warmth. 

Unconsciously, she reached inside her kimono and pulled out a blue hair stick, the one that Kikumo had given her, with a green tassel and a glass chrysanthemum embedded on top. Kikyou smiled as she felt Sesshoumaru's warm breath on her ear, and as one, they looked back at the field. That space of light green with white splotches was disappearing swiftly from their view as they flew farther and farther away. 

Sesshoumaru closed Kikyou's fist over the hair ornament, and they returned their gaze back to the landscape ahead. The spring sun was directly overhead them, but its heat was not something they could not endure. There was a new life ahead, and even more challenges lay in wait for them, but it's all right. They are together now. 

The platinum-haired Demon Prince kissed Kikyou tenderly on her lips, reliving all the joy they felt when their lips first met in the touch winter sunrise. They had gone a long way since their fateful first meeting, when he rescued her from Naraku's red shinidamachuu. They went through betrayals, heartbreak, and even came before death's door, but now that she was in his arms, he will never let her be parted from him for eternity. 

Far behind them, white chrysanthemums continued to bloom in the field of the Princess that carried their name, filling the air with their bracing fragrance. And there they would stay among the rippling grass, as living memories of an era long passed, until the end of time. 

_.:The End...or the Beginning:._

...o0o... 

Some interesting facts revolving around In Memory of the Chrysanthemum (IMotC): 

1) The character Kikumo was actually inspired by Sesshoumaru's 'admirers' in the series: Kagura and Sara-hime (Eps. 133-134). 

2) The chrysanthemum is a blossom revered in Japan, a flower whose scent is believed to increase longevity and endowed with healing abilities. (Hence Kikumo's healing abilities emphasized in 'The Battle For the Shikon Shards'.) Furthermore, it's an autumnal bloom, hereby emphasizing its relationship with the bellflower (Kikyou). 

3) I came across SesshKik by chance. I was daydreaming about the song Fukai Mori one summer afternoon, and I became interested in the character Sesshoumaru. (I didn't even know how to spell his name back then. -.-'') Soon, I decided to pair him off with someone from the series. We all know who that is! ;) 

4) This fic will have a real chaptered sequel under the title 'The Unseen Side of the Moon' (TUSotM). Sad to say, I might only be able to write again next March because our school curriculum is rather /demanding/. Hope you'll check out my works again by then. Want a hint? Go back to 'A Promise of the Stars' and read carefully Sesshy's description on how his parents met. 

5) If you're eager to read about Sesshy and Kiky's lemony 'victory party', go and read the sub-sequel (or Interlude between IMotC and TUSotM), 'Voices of the Mist'. Beware the rating! DON'T. YOU. DARE. FLAME. ME! 

Anyway, thanks very much to all my reviewers for helping me continue this story when I had severe writer's blocks and for staying with me from the Prologue to the very end. I don't know how I would have made it without you! 

-Nefertili 


End file.
